Egg donation involves providing eggs to a recipient to help get pregnant. The recipient can be an intended parent or a surrogate who carries the pregnancy for the intended parents. Egg donation can be an act of helping a couple have a child or a monetary choice. The process involves various steps, which may take about two months. Studies show between five to twenty eggs are retrieved per cycle. The number of eggs YourEggs doctor retrieves depends on how many you produce and other specific guidelines your fertility center follows.
What are the essential steps followed during egg donation?
Application
You must meet specific criteria set by your fertility center. If you wish to donate eggs, you must be between twenty-one to thirty-four years. Some centers allow additional compensation if you have already had kids or successfully donated eggs.
Screening
Before egg donation, you will go through various medical screenings. These tests may include physical exams, blood and urine screening, gynecological exams, and evaluation of your family medical history. A mental health check is also crucial during egg donation.
Medications
Within the first ten to twelve days of your donation cycle, you will take hormonal drugs to help stimulate your ovaries and mature your eggs. You administer these medications yourself through injections. Your doctor will guide you on how to administer the injections. Your doctor may recommend blood tests to check your hormone levels.
Egg retrieval
Once your eggs are ready, your healthcare provider will administer human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). You will go for egg retrieval about thirty-four to thirty-six hours after the hormonal shot. Your doctor will sedate you to ensure you do not feel pain during the egg retrieval. During the egg retrieval, your provider will insert a speculum into your vaginal to widen your vaginal walls. The provider will pass a special needle attached to a transvaginal ultrasound device through your vaginal walls into your ovary and suction out the mature eggs. The eggs will be sent to a lab for evaluation before fertilization.
What should you expect during recovery after the egg retrieval process?
After the egg retrieval procedure, you may feel dazed. Ensure you rest the day after the retrieval process. You may have bloating, vaginal soreness, spotting, and abdominal cramping after egg retrieval, but the effects improve a few days after retrieval. Your doctor can recommend over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen to relieve your discomfort. A heating pad can also help reduce abdominal pain. Consult your provider if you develop a fever, heavy bleeding, or symptoms of infection.
What are the common legal implications of egg donation?
Egg donation involves state and federal regulation. Ensure you check the regulations required depending on your state before egg donation. The contract may state if you will have future contact with the resulting kids, custody, and parenting of the resulting children and if you will remain anonymous. Make sure such details are well stated in the contract you sign before the egg donation process starts.
Egg donation involves various steps, including application, health screening, medication, and egg retrieval. Schedule an appointment at YourEggs for egg donation to help a couple fulfill their dream of starting a family.
