There are three phases to completing an egg donation:
Phase 1: Screening
Our first step is to make sure you meet the qualifications for becoming an egg donor.
Phase 2: Fertility TreatmentsOnce you have completed the screening process, our next step is to prepare your body to mature a number of eggs at the same time. The exact process used here depends on your doctor, but here is how it generally works.
Phase 2a: Regulate and Coordinate Your Cycle
- You begin by taking birth control pills for several weeks in order to regulate and coordinate your cycle with the woman who is to receive your eggs.
Phase 2b: Suspend Your Egg Release
- Next you’ll begin a daily injection of a medication called Lupron that stops your normal maturation and release of an egg that month. It is generally injected into your thigh (called a subcutaneous injection) using a very small needle which is quite painless.
Phase 2c: Mature a Number of Eggs
- You’ll then begin a daily subcutaneous injection of pharmaceutical hormones in a higher quantity than you normally produce to signal to your body to simultaneously mature a number of eggs. We need multiple eggs to give a woman a 40%-60% chance of a pregnancy.
Phase 2d: Prepare Your Eggs for Retrieval
- Finally you’ll take one last injection called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) to prepare the mature eggs for retrieval. Since these medications are often taken on a daily basis, many donors find it more convenient to give themselves the injections at home or arrange for a spouse or friend to administer the injections. Your doctor will provide instructions on how to give injections.
Phase 3: Egg Retrieval
The last phase of the medical protocol is called Egg Retrieval or Egg Capture. Your doctor will usually retrieve your eggs in an outpatient procedure in the doctor’s office.
To avoid any discomfort and memory, you may be put to sleep by general anesthesia or with a form of a tranquilizer before the procedure begins.
To retrieve the eggs, a thin needle is inserted into the vagina and through the back of the vaginal wall to reach the ovary. The needle punctures the fine membrane follicle sacs that grow on the outside of the ovary (containing the eggs) and the fluid in the follicle is aspirated into a syringe attached to the needle. Because the eggs are microscopic they easily pass through the head of the needle.
The retrieval process usually takes about 30 minutes and is considered by most to be a painless procedure. There are no external cuts or incisions that cause scarring.
Summary
The entire egg donation process generally involves about 20 hours of your time over two to three months and does include reimbursement for your time and effort.