The Process for Egg Donors

The Egg Donor Screening Process

It is important to understand that becoming an egg donor is a substantial commitment of your time for about 5-6 weeks. You will be required to be very reliable and punctual in attending various appointments including medical appointments, you will be required to take medications on very specific schedules, and to be available at a very specific time and date for the egg removal procedure. This is not a commitment that you can take lightly. We appreciate the amazing gift you are providing and so we are also committed to you during this process and are available to answer your questions and concerns and provide assistance. The following outlines the steps that will be required:

Step 1: Completion of Application

Upon receipt of your application and profile information, we will review the information and contact you to let you know if you have been accepted into our program. You will be interviewed by our Executive Director or Director of Client Services. Upon acceptance, we will assist you in scheduling (at no cost to you, an appointment for HIV and venereal disease testing).

Step 2: Matching Process

Advocates for Surrogacy will provide Intended Parent(s)’ with your profile (identifying information removed) which includes comprehensive information on your medical, social, work, academic, and family history.

Step 3: Medical and Psychological Screening

Once you have been matched, you will then be scheduled for a psychological assessment to make sure that you are ready and emotionally prepared to become an egg donor.
You will also be scheduled for a medical examination, blood tests, and an ultrasound to make sure that you are a good candidate for egg donation.

Once you are cleared medically and psychologically for the process, the medical process begins, as follows:

Egg Donor Medical Process

Stage 1: Egg Production (Ovarian stimulation, monitoring, and ovulation triggering)

The process begins with the synchronization of both donor and carrier's menstrual cycles and may require using the medication Lupron. The goal of the first stage is to create a large number of mature follicles so as to increase the chances of fertilization. Since a woman's body normally releases one mature egg every month, a medication is used to stimulate the ovaries to develop more follicles. Follicles are fluid-filled sacs in which eggs mature. During this stage, the healthcare provider may use ultrasound to monitor the number and size of maturing follicles in the Intended Mother’s (or donor’s) ovaries. Blood tests may also be used to monitor hormone levels which will help determine the best time to administer medication and to retrieve the eggs. At a time determined by the physician an injection of medication (human Chorionic Gonadatropin (hcG) is given to bring the eggs to final maturity. Approximately 35 hours after this injection, the donor will undergo the egg retrieval that is done in the clinic on an outpatient basis.

Stage 2: Egg retrieval

The health care provider will identify the mature follicles using ultrasound and hormone levels and the, with a needle, withdraw the eggs while the Donor is under light sedation. The eggs are then held in an incubator until the time of insemination in the laboratory.

Stage 3: Post-Retrieval

You should expect to rest for the remaining part of the day and you may find that you need a couple of days. Our staff is available to you should you have any questions or just feel the need to talk to someone.