If you are curious about or interested in egg donation, you need to know what egg donation is, learn what the motivations are for donating eggs, know the different types of egg donors, find out about egg donation requirements, understand the process, find out about the costs and fees involved, and learn about the risks and side effects of egg donation.
Egg donation has its share of social and psychological issues. Nevertheless, many women still think it helpful to donate eggs to other women to help them conceive a baby. Here are some important things you need to know about egg donation to help you understand the process and make a well-informed decision whether or not to donate:
Know what egg donation is
Egg donation is when a woman donates her egg or eggs for the purpose of reproduction by another woman or for research purposes. Many clinics, especially fertility centers, such as egg donation florida clinics, accept donors for assisted reproduction.
Learn what the motivations are for donating eggs
Many women donate their eggs because they recognize the benefits it provides to other women and families. This is especially true if the beneficiary is a relative or a friend of the donor. Payment received also motivates many women to donate eggs for assisted reproduction. Studies reveal that most donors are compelled to donate eggs because of both altruism and payment.
Know the different types of egg donors
Egg donors come in three types: designated donors, undesignated donors, and in-vitro fertilization patients.
*Designated donors are usually friends or relatives of patients who donate eggs specifically for their friend or relative.
*Undesignated donors, on the other hand, are usually unrelated and anonymous to the recipients and come into fertilization clinics to donate eggs for monetary or altruistic reasons.
*In-vitro fertilization (IVF) patient donors are those women who undergo the process by which her own egg cells are fertilized by a partner’s sperm outside of her body when natural and other assisted reproductive means have failed. After eggs are taken out of her body, some of the unused eggs may be used for egg donation.
Find out about egg donation requirements
Not every woman can become an egg donor. If you want to be a donor, clinics usually require you to be between 21 and 30 years of age, of healthy condition and with no medical problems. You should have a good family background without indications of hereditary diseases and other conditions. Some clinics also require some degree of education for you to be qualified. Aside from these qualifications, you need to go through a screening process including physical and psychological examinations, drug testing, and infectious disease testing.
Understand the process
As soon as you decide to become an egg donor, you will undergo the entire screening process. If you pass, you will be evaluated by a psychologist to assess whether you are ready to undergo and finish the egg donation process. If you are ready, contracts will be signed and you will be matched with an egg recipient. Once matched, the process will start by taking birth control pills to synchronize both of your menstrual cycles. It will then be followed by a series of injections of a certain drug that will suppress your menstrual cycle. These injections are administered daily for about one to three weeks. According to https://novagenix.org/is-lost-muscle-mass-a-normal-part-of-aging/, hormones are then given to you to increase your mature eggs. After this, your egg sacs or follicles will be monitored through ultrasound and blood tests. When the follicles have matured, the retrieval can be performed. The retrieval process usually takes around 30 minutes under light general anesthesia. To remove the egg follicles in your ovaries, a small needle guided by an ultrasound is inserted through the vagina. After the procedure, you will rest in the recovery room for 1 to 2 hours prior to your release. Many donors carry on with their regular activities the next day, but it is typically advised that you rest for a full day after the retrieval process.
Find out about the costs and fees involved
Donating eggs will cost you nothing. All expenses, including medical examinations, legal, and transportation expenses are shouldered by the recipient. Egg donation rates usually range from $5,000 to as much as $10,000. If you are an IVF patient, it will be very cost-effective, since the recipient shall contribute to your IVF procedure expenses.
Learn about the risks and side effects of egg donation
Egg donation can also have certain side effects and risks, including abdominal cramps, bloating, soreness, and irritability. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome may also result from the hormones you take to increase the number of mature eggs. In very rare cases, egg donation can also result in liver failure.
If you are interested in egg donation, you should consult your gynecologist for more information. Your doctor can also help address any other concerns you may have.