Couples looking to get pregnant can face a world of problems, not the least of which is female infertility. Finding out that a potential mother is infertile is a crushing blow to any would-be parents. Thanks to medical advancements and technology it is no longer necessary to let infertility be a reason not to have children.
All around the country there are clinics where women can donate their eggs in exchange for payment. Not just anyone can donate, and any woman hoping to do so must undergo testing to make sure that her eggs will not cause potential problems.
These problems include genetic diseases, alcohol or drug use, or psychological problems. Egg donation can enhance the chance of successful pregnancy for an otherwise infertile woman.
Getting Started
After making the decision two donate, contact the donation clinic nearest you. They will either do a phone interview or send out an application to be completed. If the questions are answered to their satisfaction you will be asked to come in for a procedures session and medical screening.
The medical screening is a very in depth process. A doctor will perform a pelvic exam to make sure your uterus, ovaries, and pelvic organs are in good condition. During this exam a swab will be taken and tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Blood tests will be taken to check for Hepatitis, syphilis, HIV, and a cancer-causing virus. Ask for a copy of the results to share with your health care provider in case there are any potential problems.
In addition to these tests there will be infectious disease tests. They will check for traces of bacteria or viruses that can be transferred from one person to another. This is to ensure that the recipient will not potentially contract these diseases.
In addition to the physical medical screening there will also be an in-depth medical and psychological history. This part of the screening is used to find out more about donor habits such as alcohol use, cigarettes, and prescription and illegal drugs.
Extensive medical history about the donor, donor parents, grandparents, brothers, and sisters to determine possible genetic predispositions or diseases that could hinder the quality of the egg.
Once these are completed the donor must then submit to screening for inherent diseases. These include but are not limited to birth defects, genetic diseases (such as Huntington’s or anemia), or medical problems.
A psychological exam will be conducted to determine whether the donor understands the ethical and emotional issues that confront donors. Using the psychologist throughout the process is important to the mental health and stability of the donor.
The Procedure
After passing the screening process the preparation for procedure begins. This egg donor process is time consuming and very particular. Failure to follow the process correctly can cause the donor health problems and put the success of the procedure in danger.
The first step of the procedure is to introduce the donor to a regimen of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist analogues that are designed to control the hormone that causes eggs to mature in the ovaries. Doing so allows the physician to control the maturation of eggs in the donor. This hormone is administered daily during the stimulation process.
Once the first step is complete donors are then given daily injections of follicle stimulating hormone. This hormone is used to create multiple egg follicles so the physician can retrieve multiple eggs at once. During this stage donors are to abstain from intercourse because of the high level of fertility increasing risk of pregnancy.
After the eggs are matures and ready to be retrieved the donor is given one injection of human chorionic gonadotropin. This makes the retrieval of the egg easier. The process happens about 36 hours after injection.
The eggs are retrieved via transvaginal ultrasound aspiration. The donor is put under conscious sedation and a tube with an ultrasound probe is inserted to remove the eggs. Once the eggs are successful removed the patient is given an oral antibiotic to prevent infection and are free to go home 2 hours later.
Donation is a trying process. Be educated about the egg donor process and risks before making a commitment to donating by reading more about it. Understand as well that it is a time consuming process, so be sure that school or other commitments will not get in the way.
Despite the thorough and time consuming process, donating eggs can be rewarding. Doing so gives another woman who could not otherwise have children a chance to not only get a child, but experience the joy of pregnancy.
Photo Credit By: reproductive.org
