Egg Donor Screening Process

IVF Plano Helps Patients Understand the Egg Donor Screening Process

Nearly 6 million couples in the U.S. are impacted by infertility, and in about half of the cases, the cause is female infertility. Issues such as low ovarian reserve, egg quality and maternal age can decrease the chances for a successful pregnancy. After a thorough fertility assessment, Dr. James Douglas may suggest donor eggs to increase your odds for conception.

Working with an Egg Donor Agency

Dr. Douglas partners with reputable donor agencies that strictly follow FDA and ASRM guidelines. These centers have rigorous screening guidelines, which they utilize to ensure the safety of both egg donors and intended parents.

Potential egg donors must complete the following steps:

  • Initial interview

  • Blood tests and drug screening

  • Physical exam and sonogram

  • Psychological assessment

  • Infectious disease panel

  • Genetic screening

This thorough process enables our patients to feel secure about their personal health and increase the odds for a healthy pregnancy.

Choosing an Egg Donor

As you and your partner begin the selection process, you should consider what matters most to you in a donor. Choosing an egg donor is a personal decision that you will need to arrive at as a couple. Only you and your partner can determine which factors will make the ideal donor for your family. Consider the following points as you review the options:

  • Donor health history
  • Education, interests and talents
  • Physical attributes
  • Culture or religious beliefs
  • Personal details from the donor

How Egg Donation Works

With donor eggs, patients and their partners will either use a known donor, or they will choose a donor agency to help find the right egg donor. After you have selected an egg donor, you have two options: fresh donor egg cycle or frozen donor egg cycle.

Fresh Egg Donor Cycle

Traditionally, fresh egg donor cycles have been the method employed by fertility specialists. Once the patient chooses the egg donor, Dr. Douglas will work with the donor and the intended mother to sync their cycles and prepare the recipient’s uterus for the embryo transfer. Usually, this process involves monitoring both the donor and recipient with frequent blood tests and sonograms as well as controlling the cycles with fertility medications. At the appropriate time, Dr. Douglas will schedule the retrieval, prepare the sperm, fertilize the eggs and transfer the resulting embryos into the patient.

Frozen Donor Egg Cycle

Because of vitrification, a fast freezing process, frozen donor eggs are now an option. With frozen eggs, patients select the donor and then the frozen eggs are sent to our fertility clinic. Dr. Douglas will monitor your cycle and prepare your body for the embryo transfer. We will thaw the eggs and fertilize them in the laboratory to create the embryo(s). Then, Dr. Douglas will transfer the embryos into the patient.

Make Your Parenthood Dreams a Reality with Egg Donation

If you have been struggling to get pregnant, donor eggs may provide the pathway to a healthy pregnancy. Dr. Douglas can explain the process and answer any questions you have. Contact our office for more information or to schedule an appointment.