Egg Donation

What is egg donation?

Egg donation is a process by which eggs (oocytes) are obtained from either an anonymous, or known (relative, friend, etc.), egg donor, and fertilized with the sperm provided by the partner of the female patient (egg recipient), or with donor sperm. The embryos that form are then placed in the uterus (womb) of the egg recipient for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy.

Background

Egg donation is a highly successful treatment that has been used throughout the world since the mid-1980's, helping thousands of recipient couples become pregnant. The technology used involves in vitro fertilization using donor eggs. At the Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Fertility (CARMF), we have performed egg donation with tremendous success for many years. The physicians, laboratory personnel, and nursing staff at CARMF are highly experienced in the use of these technologies, resulting in many healthy babies being born to over the years.

Recipients

Recipients are infertile women (single or married) who are 50 years of age or younger, and have been unable to successfully conceive for various reasons. Many have not conceived with IVF or other fertility treatments. Others have been diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve (poor egg quality) by hormonal testing or a very low response to fertility medications. Some women have a genetic issue preventing them from using their own eggs, while others have compromised egg quality due to prior ovarian surgery, premature menopause or ovarian failure (spontaneous or from chemo/radiation therapy), and other conditions.

Recipient couples have a choice of either anonymous or known (friend or relative) egg donation. Recipients at our center are free to request specific characteristics in their egg donor such as hair/eye color, blood type, ethnic or religious background, etc., based upon availability at the time of the matching process.

CARMF follows the guidelines of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) in performing egg donation. In accordance with these guidelines, screening tests are performed on both partners. In addition, a comprehensive screening process is undertaken on the donor herself before she is deemed eligible to donate her eggs. Your doctor and the medical staff will discuss these with you in greater detail at your office visit.

After completion of the screening process and successful matching with an egg donor, the recipient female will be required to undergo a "mock" or "practice" cycle to make sure that her endometrial (uterine) lining reaches normal maturity prior to the actual donation cycle. Any problems discovered can usually be treated without difficulty. After successful completion of the mock cycle, the actual egg donation cycle will be performed. Please note that both mock and the actual egg donation cycles require the use of injectable medications. This treatment will be discussed with you in greater detail during your office consultations. In addition, please be aware that our medical staff provides constant personal care and attention to assist you throughout this entire process.

Egg Donors

Egg donation can be anonymous and non-anonymous ("known"). Anonymous egg donors must meet the following criteria: 1) age between 21 and 32 years, 2) good general health, 3) no significant medical problems, 4) no current or prior history of drug abuse or sexually transmitted diseases, 5) non-smoker, and 6) successful completion of the psychological evaluation.

Our donors are all caring individuals who wish to help an infertile couple receive the gift of life. Some are students at local colleges or graduate schools, while others are working professionals. Regardless, all donors are required to provide an extensive personal and family health profile, which is provided to the prospective recipient couple. Our program's philosophy is to provide as much information as possible to the recipient couple regarding anonymous donors without ever divulging their identity. Similarly, the egg donor would never receive any information regarding the identity of our patients. All of these donors are counseled extensively regarding the entire donation process, including the absolute need to maintain confidentiality. In addition, donors are compensated $8,000 upon completion of the egg donation cycle.

Known egg donors must meet the same general criteria as anonymous donors with some exceptions, such as the upper age limit. Since known egg donation takes place between individuals who generally share a strong personal relationship, some of the criteria will be reviewed on an individual basis.

Success Rates

Egg donation is one of our most successful programs at CARMF. It is well documented that pregnancy rates are not generally influenced by the age of the recipients, and many women well into their 40's have successfully conceived using this treatment. For our most current pregnancy rates, please refer to the Success Section of our website.

How Do Egg Recipients Get Started?

Recipient couples who are interested in pursuing egg donation should schedule an initial office appointment with one of the physicians at CARMF. At that time, the overall screening and matching processes, as well as the treatment protocols will be discussed. Once the couple decides to move forward with egg donation, they will then need to schedule a meeting with the office practice administrator, who will review with them in great detail the financial aspects involved, including any and all insurance related issues. Following this, and often on the same day, they will then meet with our egg donor Physician, and Nursing Staff, coordinators. At those meetings, the specific screening and treatment processes will be reviewed in detail. In the case of anonymous donation, the coordinator will also present profiles on available donors whom we feel would be appropriate matches for you based on a "wish list" that you and your partner will create for us. Couples can review these profiles at their leisure, and once they decide to accept a particular donor, the treatment process will begin. Please note that while a great deal of thought and efforts are taken in the matching process, the recipient couple always has the final say in accepting or rejecting a particular donor.

We always strive to keep the entire process of egg donation as simple, convenient, and stress-free as possible for all parties involved. The egg donation team (medical and business personnel) is readily available to answer all of your questions and address any issues you may have at any time.

How Do Egg Donors Get Started?

If you meet the above criteria and are interested in becoming an egg donor, there is an initial application and information sheet, please click here . Alternatively, please feel free to contact us at 732-339-9300, and ask to speak to the Donor Egg Coordinator (extension 31). After we review your initial application, there will be a more comprehensive health and personal family questionnaire that we will send to you which you will need to complete and return to us by mail or email. Once we receive this, we will contact you to schedule a baseline blood test and ultrasound, followed by a meeting with our physician and nurse donor coordinators to initiate the screening process, which typically takes a few weeks. After the screening has been successfully completed, we will match you with a recipient couple, and the actual treatment cycle will then take place. Please know that in addition to the financial compensation, the joy of helping a recipient couple achieve their dream of parenthood is one that simply cannot be measured, and that truly lasts for a lifetime.

Egg Donor: Frequently Asked Questions

CARMF thanks you for your interest in becoming an egg donor. Your generosity can help a couple otherwise unable to have a child fulfill their dream. To assist you in understanding your important role in this process, we have compiled a list of questions frequently asked by prospective donors. All prospective donors must first complete a comprehensive screening process prior to becoming eligible. Should you then enter into our egg donation program, a more detailed description of the donation process will be discussed with you on a personal level during your teaching session with one of our coordinators.

What is involved in the screening process to become a donor?

Upon completion of the enclosed questionnaire, we may contact you to fill out a more comprehensive form that also includes your family history and background. We will explain the necessary blood work, and ultrasound to check your ovaries, that will initially be performed, and after these testing results are reviewed, you may then be asked to meet with one of our doctors on staff for a brief interview. Once you have entered into our Egg Donation Program, we will attempt to match you with an appropriate recipient as soon as possible, and the remainder of the screening blood tests, visits, and examinations will then be completed.

What type of medical procedures will I need to have?

When donating eggs, you will need to undergo what is referred to as "controlled ovarian stimulation". This means that instead of just one egg maturing and releasing during your cycle, several more may develop. This process is achieved by using injectable fertility medications to stimulate the development of multiple eggs during the treatment cycle. In no way does this deplete the number of eggs you have left for the future, nor does it hasten the onset of menopause. Increasing the amount of eggs you produce thereby increases the likelihood of achieving pregnancy in your recipient. The actual injectable medications to be used in your cycle will be discussed with you during your teaching session, but are similar to the hormones naturally produced by your body. In order to obtain the desired response, these medications must be administered daily for approximately eight to twelve days. During that time you will be required to come to our office periodically for vaginal ultrasounds to view the developing follicles, which contain the eggs, as well as blood testing for hormone levels.

Will I experience any side effects as a result of these medications?

The medications required by egg donors are generally very well tolerated. You may experience some local discomfort, redness and/or slight bruising at the injection sites. Some relatively uncommon side effects of the medications include breast tenderness, headache, fluid retention, bloating, and/or tenderness in the area of the ovaries. We attempt to prevent and/or control any adverse reactions by frequent monitoring during your treatment cycle.

How can you tell when I am ready for the actual egg donation procedure?

This procedure is referred to as an egg retrieval. By monitoring the growth of your follicles in your ovaries (which contain the eggs) through ultrasounds, and by checking your blood hormone levels, the doctors can evaluate how the follicles are maturing. This will determine the appropriate time for you to take the last injectable medication, hCG, which will trigger the eggs to be released (ovulated) at the time of the egg retrieval. The egg retrieval itself is generally performed 36 hours after the hCG injection.

How is the Egg Retrieval performed?

A vaginal ultrasound probe will be used to identify the follicles, then a needle will be passed through the vagina and into the ovaries to reach the follicles and draw out the fluid that contains the eggs.

Will the egg retrieval hurt?

An experienced anesthesiologist will be present to administer anesthesia medications to you during the egg retrieval. These medications will be given through an intravenous (IV) to keep you relaxed and comfortable, thus you will not feel any pain during the egg retrieval procedure. You will then be required to stay at the Center for at least one hour after the procedure, and must be driven home by a companion. It is advised that you continue to rest at home that day following your discharge, as you may experience some sleepiness and mild cramping or bloating after the retrieval. You can expect to get your next period within two weeks thereafter.

Will being an egg donor affect my future ability to have a child?

No, being an egg donor should not adversely affect your ability to have a child in the future.

How often will I have to come to your center?

You will be required to come in person to our center for an interview with our donor coordinator as well as the physician in charge of the program. In addition, once you are matched with a prospective recipient, you will meet with our Fertility Counselor for an evaluation. When you are then ready to start your cycle, you will have to be available approximately 5-7 mornings for monitoring visits, which generally require a stay of 10-15 minutes each. In all, you must be willing to make 6-10 visits to our Edison, NJ facility over the course of 1-2 months.

Where is your center located, and is mass transit available?

Our primary office is located in Edison, NJ. We are approximately 45 minutes from Manhattan and 15 minutes from Staten Island. We are close to NJ transit trains and busses; however a cab may be necessary.

When will I receive my financial compensation?

Upon completion of the Egg Retrieval, financial compensation will be made at your follow-up visit one week later.

If I am interested, how do I get started?

If you are a healthy, non-smoking woman between the ages of 21-32, you may be eligible to donate eggs to an infertile couple. The process is completely confidential and anonymous. Donors are compensated $8,000 per cycle.

Interested candidates should click here: Egg Donor Application