Egg Donor

       Egg donors are women found eligible to provide their own egg cells either for research or assisted reproduction purposes. In cases of assisted reproduction, the egg donor's role is just to provide the egg cells to be fertilized. Hence, it is a variation of in vitro fertization (IVF) where the person who provided the egg cell is not the same who will carry on with the pregnancy. This process is just one of the options under Third Party Reproduction.

       For couple who are considering this option and for women interested to become egg donors, there are guidelines set by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for both parties to follow. Other countries where this option is available have their own set of guidelines as well.

Egg donor ivf

       Egg donor IVF gives hope to women whose own egg cells won't be able to make successful IVF treatment possible, such as cases where the intended recipient has ovarian failure and premature menopause, among other things. The indication of egg donor IVF has also expanded to cases where the intended recipient may reproduce an offspring but is known to be a carrier of a genetic condition and does not wish to pass on the "bad gene" to her child. In the case where egg donor ivf is considered because of reproductive problems, the usual culprit is poor egg quality from the recipient. Egg quality deteriorates due to certain factors, but the most common influence affecting it is the woman's age. It is normally expected that a woman in her early 20's or 30's have a greater chance of having good quality eggs than those in their late 30's and 40's, however, it is not always the case that younger women produce good quality eggs. There are several factors which may cause a young woman to have poor quality eggs as well. Egg quality is measured through ovarian reserve fertility tests.

Should a couple consider egg donation, they may choose whether to have a known or anonymous egg donor. Known egg donors may be a relative or friend of the intended recipient couple. Egg donor selection involves a stringent process which involves several physical and psychological evaluation, following the ASRM and FDA guidelines, including throrough personal and medical history.

Becoming an Egg Donor and Egg donor requirements

Egg donors must:

•  not be a minor or should be between 21 and 34 years old

•  be at least a high school graduate or got a GED ( although in some states, GED is not accepted )

•  not be smokers or drug-users.

Previous smokers or alcohol drinkers who intend to donate their eggs should have refrained from smoking or drinking any alcoholic substance for at least six months prior to application. Potential donors should not take any prescription or over-the-counter drugs without permission.

•  be able comply with the travel requirements of the clinic.

For US residents, potential donors must be able to travel anywhere in the United States. Potential donors who are residents of Maine, Rhode Island, Massachussetts and New Hampshire are exempted to this and will just be asked to travel to Massachusetts for the donation procedure. Travel requirements for egg donor varies, depending on the clinic, which can be 2 to 12 days for the evaluation and retrieval process if ever.

•  not have gone through five donations.

Some clinics provide donation limits and as to how many matches they can make per donor, usually a maximum of six. This is following the guidelines provided by the ASRM.

•  provide the most recent information in their application/profile and this data should be updated every year

•  must adhere to the clinic's weight requirement.

Usually donors are required to have a Body Mass Index between 18 - 29. Women who are significantly overweight are not eligible as the medications involved in the procedure won't be that effective in overweight donors plus there's a chance that being overweight may affect egg quality. There are websites like that of the Centers for Disease Control to help you determine your BMI.

•  not have any form of body piercings and tattoos. Likewise, women who have had blood transfusions within 12 months prior to application are ineligible to make a donation.

How are Egg Donors matched with Egg donor recipient

       Egg donor to recipient matching depend on the clinic or the program selected. In cases where the recipient couple decide to get an anonymous donor through infertility clinics, egg donors will be selected to match the recipient in terms of ethnicity and physical resemblance. Once a possible donor complying with the above criteria has been found, the intended recipient is informed of the possible match and they have the option to continue the process with the selected donor or wait for another donor.

There are other programs which has a roster of potential donors and pertinent information about them are presented to the recipient couple for selection. Aside from the application form, childhood photos and school transcripts of the intended donor may also be provided to help the recipient in the selection process.

Once a match has been made, the donor will be prepared for egg retrieval. In order to get harvest multiple eggs, she will be injected with follicle stimulating hormone to encourage multiple egg development inside her ovaries. Egg development is monitored via routine ultrasound and estradiol measurements.

The recipient mother will need to undergo preparations as well for embryo transfer. She will receive hormones to enable her cycle to synchronize with the donor's. For implantation purposes, her uterine lining should be prepared, making it thick enough to support the embryo.

Once the eggs are ready for harvest, the donor undergoes transvaginal aspiration under anesthesia. Aspiration is done by inserting a needle into the ovarian follicle though the vagina, using ultrasound as a guide. The harvested eggs are then prepared and inseminated with the male partner's sperm for in vitro fertilization process.

The embryos are implanted in the recipient's uterus within three to five days after fertilization. Success rates may vary but are said to be much better compared to conventional IVF especially involving recipients in their forties. For example, if a woman in her forties decides to have IVF done using her own eggs, the success rate is low. However, if she decides to use a donor egg instead, prefereably from a much younger donor, the success rate dramatically improves. Egg donors are compensated for their time and the troubles incurred for participating in the donation process.

Egg Donation Risks and Side Effects

       Just as any medical procedure, egg donation has accompanying side effects and possible risks too. First, there may be side effects from the medications involved in the donation process. For example, side effects from the hormone injection may include but are not limited to: soreness at the injection site, headache, nause, bloated feeling, etc. The "bloated feeling" is due to the swelling of the ovaries to produce the egg cells or because of the temporary weight gain caused by the hormone.

There's a risk, albeit rare, of having Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome which may result to ovarian damage and other complications. Symptoms may range from mild (bloated feeling and cramps) to severe (marked bloating of the abdomen and kidney symptoms). Donors having such symptoms must see their attending doctor for dose adjustment or termination of the procedure.

As for risks and side effect with egg retrieval procedure, there may be mild discomfort but there are no expected long-term complications. Aside from taking a rest after the procedure, there are no special instructions needed and the donor may resume her normal activities the next day.

Possible Long Term Risks

There are no definite evidence to relate egg donation and infertility or other systemic problems. However, egg donation is a relatively new health breakthrough and that further studies are needed to asses long term effects, if there are any, of egg donation.