Donor Eggs
Egg donation, also referred to as oocyte donation, makes pregnancy possible for women who might not otherwise be able to get pregnant using their own eggs. Approximately 3,000 babies are born each year to women using donor eggs.
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Who are candidates to use donor eggs?
In all reality, anyone could elect to pursue donor eggs, however the majority of women who use donor eggs have significantly diminished egg quality. Women with the following conditions or situations are anticipated candidates for donor eggs:
- Early menopause or premature ovarian failure
- Extremely poor egg quality
- History of genetic disease
- Ovaries do not respond to stimulation
- Significantly high day 3 follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels
- Over the age of 39
What is the process for selecting an egg donor?
The first step is to discuss the characteristics you want in an egg donor. Is the egg donor a family member, friend, or someone anonymous? Any potential egg donor should be screened through the following:
- History of birth defects or hereditary diseases
- Medical and social history
- Physical examination
- Psychological screening
- Testing for sexually transmitted diseases
In most cases, the egg donor receives some type of monetary compensation for her time, and inconvenience, and going through the treatment. Compensation usually varies from $4,000 to $5,000.
What is the process for the egg donor?
The egg donor will experience ovary stimulation using the same medications that a woman would use to stimulate her own egg development in planning for in vitro fertilization. Daily doses of either Lupron® or Synarel® are given for approximately three weeks. FSH or HMG is added daily once the donor’s period has started, this lasts for seven to twelve days. The donor will be monitored through ultrasound and blood work to determine when her follicles have developed. The hormone hCG is administered at this time, and the eggs are retrieved two days later.
What is the process for the recipient couple?
Ideally, the recipient’s cycle will be synchronized with the donor’s cycle. This is accomplished by administering a combination of two or three hormonal medications. Lupron® is administered shortly before the period is expected to start to suppress your natural cycle. Estrogen patches are added shortly after your period starts and changed daily until your cycle matches the donor’s. Hormonal medications will be used to manipulate a regular 28-day menstrual cycle and keep the two of you on the same cycle. Having the same cycle provides the best chance of having the lining of your uterus prepared to support the embryo.
Your male partner will provide a semen sample on the day eggs are retrieved from the donor. The semen and eggs are fertilized in a laboratory using in vitro fertilization.
Progesterone treatment begins for you on the day after egg retrieval from the donor, and your Lupron® injections are discontinued the day before the embryo transfer. The embryo transfer normally occurs three days after the eggs were initially retrieved. A blood test will be performed 10 days later to determine if pregnancy has occurred. You may also watch for early signs and symptoms of pregnancy.
What is the success rate of pregnancy using donor eggs?
The success rate varies depending upon age of eggs, retrieval process, quality of semen, and the overall health of the women involved. In most cases, younger eggs are selected to increase the probability of success. As high as 48% of women using donor eggs will experience pregnancy, however approximately 15-20% of women will lose the pregnancy through miscarriage.
What are the risks related to egg donation?
Egg donation carriers the same risks as in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, and there is a 20-25% chance that the pregnancy will involve multiples. Pregnancies from donor eggs carry the same 3-5% chance of experiencing a birth defect as natural pregnancy does.
The medications involved may cause some women to experience hot flashes, feelings of depression, headaches, and sleeplessness.
In rare cases, donors may experience ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome which involves a painful swelling of the ovaries. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and shortness of breath. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.
Common Questions and Concerns:
How much does the process cost? The costs vary between clinics, but you should anticipate between $15,000 and $20,000. You will want to find out what all is included in the fee structure: donor fees, in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, medications, embryo freezing, etc. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what is included and what is not included.
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What are the legal concerns? The laws vary from state to state, but there should be little concern about parental rights. No matter whether the donor is known or anonymous, legal contracts may be written up that remove all parental rights of the donor.
How many eggs should be retrieved, fertilized, and transferred? In most cases your fertility specialists will remove as many eggs as possible during the retrieval process. This gives you the chance for additional procedures if the first attempt is not successful. The number of embryos that should be transferred during any single IVF cycle is open to debate. It has been said in the medical literature that transferring no more than four embryos per IVF cycle will yield optimal results. Transferring more than four is believed to result in excess numbers of multiple pregnancies, which increases the possibility of other complications. Transferring four embryos versus one or two increases the probability that pregnancy will occur, but it is important to realize that all four embryos could implant. You should discuss these options with your fertility specialist.