Fertility Road Issue 14
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F E R T I L I T Y R O A D<br />
E G G D O N A T I O N E X P L A I N E D<br />
How long will it take to plan my donor<br />
program and what should my first step be?<br />
Typically, a two month period is required to plan a donor<br />
program. As menstrual cycles can be manipulated, the timing can<br />
really be planned to the recipient’s specifications. Usually donor<br />
programs are planned within a three month period, but with the<br />
consent of all parties, planning can extend beyond this time frame.<br />
So after the egg donor’s screening, recipients can be given exact<br />
dates to allow appropriate planning arrangements to be made.<br />
Is egg donation expensive, what are the costs<br />
for egg donation and what does this cover ?<br />
In addition to a regular IVF fee, additional costs for egg<br />
donation include screening assessments (psychological and<br />
medical) for the egg donor, ultrasounds for egg donors to assess<br />
egg development (this is in addition to the uterine assessment<br />
scans performed on the egg recipient), donor donation (which is<br />
commonly a fixed amount paid via the fertility clinic), possible<br />
donor travel costs (depending on the donor’s situation) and donor<br />
agency fees (to facilitate the egg donor program). Essentially egg<br />
donation is a very viable, feasible and affordable solution.<br />
Do I need to be medically confirmed to receive donor<br />
eggs and if so where do I go to get the required tests?<br />
To optimise the process for egg donation, women as recipients<br />
of donor eggs should have necessary medical tests. Men, whose<br />
sperm will be fertilising the eggs, should also have specific tests<br />
done. Recipients can submit required medical results to fertility<br />
specialists in person or online to confirm that their body is in an<br />
optimal space to receive donor eggs.<br />
Do I need to worry about the legal requirements<br />
and contractual obligations in the donor process?<br />
No, a professional egg donation agency will take care of any<br />
such details and ensures compliance with the legalities of the<br />
country as well as any governing guidelines.<br />
I've read online that I need to match my blood<br />
group to that of the egg donors, is this correct?<br />
No, matching of blood types does not influence the outcome<br />
at all. Blood groups are really provided for information purposes<br />
so that recipients have access to all information.<br />
Will and I meet my egg donor, is it<br />
possible to send my donor a message?<br />
No, egg donation is usually completely anonymous and<br />
confidential. The egg donor will not be able to trace the egg<br />
donation. In keeping with the anonymity, only childhood pictures<br />
of the donors, up to the age of 10 are provided. Unfortunately<br />
some egg donors do not have access to these, so no pictures will<br />
be available. The egg donor’s responsibility and participation ends<br />
on the day of egg retrieval with the full understanding that no<br />
further involvement is required, Most agencies are happy to pass<br />
on message, as long they remain anonymous.<br />
FOR MORE ARTICLES ON<br />
EGG DONATION VISIT<br />
FERTILITYROAD.COM »<br />
What screening is carried out on an egg donor,<br />
are there both physical and psychological tests?<br />
Full psychological assessments, blood tests and an internal<br />
ultrasound are performed. Hormonal blood levels are tested to<br />
confirm the egg donors’ suitability to produce good quality eggs,<br />
in addition HIV status is also checked. If a recipient elects for a<br />
donor to be tested for other aspects these can be undertaken.<br />
Professional egg donor agents do not recruit donors to their<br />
database if they have a medical history of predisposition to genetic<br />
disorders such as club foot, haemophilia, bipolar illness, etc.<br />
How do I select an egg donor, what should<br />
I be looking for, can I get help with this?<br />
Refer to the online egg donor database and consider what is<br />
important to you. For some recipients physical match is<br />
important. Other recipients elect to match personality, interests,<br />
academic, religious or other aspects. At the end of the day this is a<br />
personal decision and recipients are encouraged to be guided by<br />
their heart to select the right egg donor. The egg donor agent<br />
should be willing to assist with recommendations.<br />
Will I be able to breastfeed if I receive donor eggs,<br />
there is conflicting opinion on the internet?<br />
Of course recipients can and are encouraged to breastfeed.<br />
Other than the recipient’s ovary not producing the egg, all<br />
aspects about the pregnancy are the same. Breastfeeding actually<br />
encourages further bonding and provides the new infant with all<br />
required nutrition to start life.<br />
Should I select an egg donor with proven fertility,<br />
i.e. a donor who has donated successfully before?<br />
A careful screening of the ovarian reserve of the egg donor is<br />
more important than their fertility history. It is not necessary to<br />
select an egg donor who has a history of fertility; these facts are<br />
provided for information only. Every woman is different and<br />
every cycle is different. Egg donors may respond differently to<br />
artificial stimulation than to natural fertility.<br />
What happens if my egg donor is found not<br />
suitable, what are my options if this is the case?<br />
It may happen the egg donor is declined psychologically and<br />
or medically and these aspects can only be confirmed at the<br />
time of such professional assessments. These screenings are<br />
controls to give the recipient the very best of chance of<br />
conception with donor eggs. In the event of the donor not being<br />
advised to proceed, the egg donation agency will assist you in<br />
finding a new egg donor or you as the recipient can select a new<br />
egg donor from the database.<br />
Would my egg donor donate continuously, is there<br />
a limit or can they donate as many time as they wish?<br />
No, egg donors donate a maximum of 6 times or to the extent<br />
that 6 children are conceived of egg donation.<br />
Jenny Currie is founder and owner of dynamic egg donation<br />
agency baby2mom. For more information about egg donation in<br />
South Africa please visit www.baby2mom.co.za<br />
44 | WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM |<br />
APRIL - MAY 2013