28 Sep The What, Who, and How of Egg Donation
Whether you’re in need of an egg donor or thinking about becoming one we’ve got your basic information covered right here:
In the surrogacy process Egg Donation is when a woman donates her eggs to enable an Intended Parent (IP) to conceive as part of an assisted reproduction treatment. Usually with a Surrogate or Intended Mother via In Virto Fertilization (IVF).
Intended Parents:
For someone who can’t conceive without assistance of an DE (donor egg) it’s a big decision! It can feel overwhelming, and mind boggling. Give yourself time to wrap your mind around egg donation, what it means, and the steps it will take to complete an egg donor cycle from start to finish.
Remember that no matter which egg donor you select, any child conceived will be one you and your partner (if you should have one) create and give life to. They will be exclusive and special to your own family and wouldn’t be coming into this world if not for the love that you have to give. It is also important to focus on the fact that you’ll love them regardless of eye color, hair color, height, or other physical characteristics even though that is fun to daydream about!
Where do you start, and what’s important?
First, you need to decide if you want to select an anonymous donor or a known donor. For some parents it’s important to make a personal connection with their egg donor. They may want to select a donor who will be willing to meet their child one day in the future. Many choose the anonymous donor route, not wanting to know anything other than what a profile states about their donor.
When selecting a donor, pay close attention to the egg donor’s profile. Read carefully, taking into account how the donor portrays herself. Look for a donor that you can relate to, that you could call your friend, or that you imagine could fit in with your own family.
Some intended parent(s) place value on the GPAs, SAT scores, and college education of their donor. Some place value in egg donors who have excelled in athletics, music, science, or other areas. Some require their donor to share their faith. The majority IPs we talk to also tell us they would prefer an egg donor to have a physical resemblance with their family members, so that the baby “looks like their Mom or Dad”.
In addition, it is not uncommon for us to hear: “I want an egg donor who’s drop-dead gorgeous and incredibly bright!” This is not an unreasonable request–who doesn’t want their child to be beautiful and brilliant? Therefore, the demand for attractive, exceptional college girls who are willing to donate eggs is high. However, not all attractive, intelligent, college-age girls are going to make good donors. That’s why medical and psychological screening is required and paying close attention to the results of these findings is important. Medical family history is very important and SLS takes it seriously.
As an intended parent, the characteristics you desire in a donor are unique to you and based on your personal priorities and choices. There is no right or wrong way to go about this! Just keep in mind that you are investing a good deal into this process. Being a proactive, smart consumer armed with information is imperative when selecting an egg donor. Do your homework, research, ask questions, and if something doesn’t sit well, listen to your gut.
At the end of the day, we believe that the child or children you have via this process is who you are meant to have, and will be the most amazing, beautiful, perfect addition to your family you have ever laid eyes on.
Potential Egg Donors:
For a woman considering egg donation, firstly; thank you! We at SLS are already grateful that you are the kindest type of person who would give to help others create families. Egg donation is an emotionally and financially rewarding experience, and you are a highly valued member of our surrogacy services with an essential role to play.
Requirements:
She must be a female between the ages of 21 -29 who lives a healthy lifestyle and has excellent medical and family history. With a BMI (Body Mass Index) appropriate for her height and weight up to 28 BMI. She needs to have reliable transportation and flexibility to attend morning appointments during the 10 to 12 days of the treatment cycle. Also, a non-smoker and non-drug user with no new tattoos or body piercings within the last year.
The Process:
All egg donors complete an in-depth egg donor profile compiled of many questions covering their medical, personal, social, and reproductive history. You do not want to do business with an egg donor agency, broker, or clinic that does not require this!
Once matched, they’re scheduled for a psychological evaluation and a genetic evaluation with a geneticist. Then an appointment with the IVF clinic for the medical evaluation with the physician, during which infectious disease testing, drug testing, and genetic testing will also be done.
When all of this is cleared, you’ll then move on to legal contracts and then start the donation cycle. The cycle is between two to four weeks depending on the length of birth control pills and ovaries response to medication. Routine morning appointments for ultrasound and blood tests are scheduled at the IVF center from the start of injections until the egg retrieval. The physician will monitor the growth of the follicles until they reach a size of maturity. Once the follicles are mature egg retrieval is scheduled.
An egg retrieval is a technique used in IVF to retrieve the oocytes (eggs) from a woman’s ovaries. The procedure is performed by your physician under twilight sedation and is a 30-minute procedure on average. After the procedure they’ll be unable to drive for 24 hours due to the anesthesia. Most donors will be able to resume their normal routine 24 to 36 hours after the procedure.
One Last Note:
SLS believes that Egg Donation is a caring, compassionate act that may provide the gift of parenthood to someone who otherwise would never have that opportunity. Feel free to reach out to any of our caring and helpful staff with whatever questions you may have. We’re here for you.
