How to Donate Eggs to Infertile Couples
Egg donation allows many infertile women to carry and have a baby, provided the reason woman does not have viable eggs is due to ovarian problems or other causes but is otherwise healthy. Donating an egg to a woman or couple involves extensive screening, testing and legal documentation to ensure a happy outcome for everyone involved. Educating yourself on the process of egg donation is vital in making an informed decision on donating eggs to infertile couples.
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Instructions
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Determine whether you qualify as an egg donor. Any reputable egg donation center or fertility clinic maintains strict standards for screening and accepting potential egg donors. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends that egg donors should be at least 21 and no older than 34. The older a woman is, the higher the risk for birth defects. Many fertility centers that specialize in egg donation will not accept donors beyond the suggested age.
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Locate an accredited fertility clinic or doctor. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine has extensive lists of reproductive specialists who are experienced in egg donation. Your doctor also recommend and refer you to fertility physicians who will help you find an accredited egg donation center.
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Prepare yourself to go through screening. Before being considered for egg donation, you will be extensively interviewed to determine whether you are an egg donor candidate.
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Know that there are two types of egg donors. Anonymous donors never contact the egg recipient, and all the details are handled by the donation center. Under certain circumstances, donors will offer eggs to someone they know who is infertile. Under rare circumstances, the infertile couple will meet the donor and become acquainted before donation and after fertilization.
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Realize that extensive medical screening is required if a donor meets other criteria for donating. Medical history, testing for possible medical problems and ethnicity tests will be administered. For instance, some genetic diseases like Tay-Sachs disease occur in people of certain ethnicities.
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Understand that the process for donating usually involves hormone injection for the donor. This will help a woman produce more eggs, which increases the chance of viability and prevents the donor from ovulating at the wrong time.
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Harvesting or retrieval of the eggs is performed within days of administering hormones. The process is not considered invasive and can be performed in a doctor's office or out-patient facility. The eggs are evaluated and examined before the doctor transfers them to the recipient.
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Tips & Warnings
Most egg donors are monetarily compensated for egg donation and medical expenses.
Only consider donation to an accredited fertility center or doctor.
