Becoming An Egg (Oocyte) Donor with
WVFC in Arizona
Thank you for visiting West Valley Fertility Center’s (WVFC) website to investigate becoming an egg donor and possibly helping an infertile couple realize their dream of starting a family. Only through the generous gift of egg donation will these couples have the opportunity to carry and deliver a child, and have a family.
Infertility is a condition that affects couples worldwide, without regard to race, ethnicity, or religion. And as such, we are looking for women from all walks of life. We need donors of all races, ethnicities, academic achievements, physical attributes (such as hair and eye color), and special talents. We require our egg donors to be dependable, and to demonstrate integrity and honesty. Though the egg donation process occurs over a short period of time (approximately 2 weeks), our egg donors must be fully committed to the donation process as it does require daily hormonal injections and a non-surgical egg retrieval. Our goal is to make egg donation a positive and fulfilling experience for each egg donor.
BECOMING AN EGG DONOR
Egg Donor Requirements
Egg donors must be between the ages of 21-29, be non-smokers, in excellent health, and have a minimum of a high School Diploma or GED. A college degree, or experience working toward a degree, is not required but is highly desirable. In keeping with recommended guidelines, we will only match our egg donors for a maximum of 6 donations and cannot accept donors who have previously completed more than 5 donations. Also, for the health and safety of our egg donors we require that height and weight are proportional as listed below.
Weight Chart (egg donor must weigh less than stated weight)
| Height | 4’ 10” | 4’ 11” | 5’ 0” | 5’ 1” | 5’ 2” | 5’ 3” | 5’ 4” | 5’5” |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 131 | 134 | 137 | 140 | 143 | 147 | 151 | 155 |
| Height | 5’6” | 5’7” | 5’ 8” | 5’ 9’’ | 5’ 10” | 5’ 11” | 6’ 0” |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 159 | 163 | 167 | 170 | 173 | 176 | 179 |
Time Commitment
The screening process to become eligible as an egg donor takes approximately 1-2 months. Once you are selected as a donor, and begin the donation cycle the time involved is approximately 2 weeks. During these two weeks there will be frequent (5-6) office visits (usually less than 30 minutes) and these occur in the mornings only. After these appointments you can return to work or school as needed. The only full day of school or work that is missed is the day of the egg retrieval (since anesthesia is used); you may not return to work or school after the procedure. We recommend you rest the remainder of the day. Usually, the day following the egg retrieval you may return to work or school and resume your normal activities.
Anonymity
While WVFC works with known donors, the vast majority of our donors are anonymous. The Intended Parents will know only your physical characteristics, relevant details of your medical and family history, donor number, and year of your birth. They will also see a picture of you (adult and/or baby) that you provide. Your name and other identifying information will remain strictly confidential throughout the entire process. Because of privacy laws we do not inform the donor if a pregnancy resulted from the donation. Any child or children born from the donation are the legal and financial responsibility of the Intended Parents and not the donor.
Benefits for the Egg Donors
One of the main reasons our donors give for donating eggs is the donor’s desire to help another couple experience the joys of having and raising children. This “gift of life and love” is a strong motivating factor for women to donate eggs for the benefit of another woman.
Because egg donors must take daily hormonal injections during a donation cycle, and undergo a non-surgical egg retrieval, the dedication and effort involved is substantial. Financial compensation of $3500 is paid for the time, commitment, and responsibility involved in a donation cycle.
Steps to Become an Egg Donor
There are 4 simple steps to becoming an egg donor. The first step is to educate yourself about the process of egg donation and what it involves. The information on this website - Overview of IVF- will provide a basic understanding of the donation process. You may also request an information packet be mailed or e-mailed to you by clicking here or by calling our egg donor Information Line at (602) 445-1165. This information packet contains General Information AND the questionnaire form.
Once you have an understanding of the process of egg donation the second step is to complete an application questionnaire (click here to download the form). This short form asks brief general questions about education, physical characteristics, personal and family medical history. We ask that you return (mail or email) this completed form to us with recent pictures of yourself. Close up and full-length pictures are required. If you would prefer to use a baby picture of yourself, that is acceptable also. Upon review and approval of the Initial Questionnaire a more in-depth questionnaire (called a profile) is sent to you. This profile provides more information regarding personal characteristics, interests, and family history and, along with the pictures, and will be shared with the Intended Parents.
The third step is a personal interview with our Program Coordinator, Laura. During the interview a more in-depth explanation of the donation process will be provided, including risks, side effects of the medications and procedure, benefits, and compensation. All your questions will be answered at this time as well. We at WVFC take great pride knowing that we have fully informed donors and patients.
The final step in becoming a donor is the evaluation process. At WVFC we perform medical, genetic (i.e. cystic fibrosis), and infectious disease screening, in addition to a thorough social and psychological screening. Unlike other programs, we fully screen our donors before they are matched with the Intended Parents. This enables the donors and Intended Parents to move to the donation/treatment cycle without delay. We also repeat the social and infectious disease screening immediately before the donation cycle. This ensures that the donation experience for the donor will be a healthy experience and maintains the high standard of care our donors and Intended Parents expect.
Once the evaluation process is complete and the prospective donor is considered eligible, the donor’s profile is placed in our egg donor Registry. Intended Parents are then able to review the profiles and select the perfect donor for them. When the donor is matched with the couple, a calendar or schedule is created and the donor begins the donation cycle.
A Brief History of Egg Donation
Egg donation was first used successfully in human beings in 1984 and represented a major breakthrough in modern reproductive treatment. Since that date there has been increasing demand for egg donors as more women realize they need to use egg donation to start a family.
Originally egg donation (also known as ovum or oocyte donation) was used for women whose ovaries didn’t function. Over the last decade it has become apparent that egg donation is an appropriate treatment for many fertility problems. Egg donation now allows women who can carry a pregnancy but cannot produce eggs or whose eggs carry a genetic defect, to conceive through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and bear a child. Probably the biggest group of women to benefit from egg donation are those in their later reproductive years (late 30’s and early 40’s) who have attempted numerous procedures and yet have been unable to conceive. Another group that benefits from egg donation are women diagnosed with premature ovarian failure or poor egg quality. These women, often in their early 30’s, are diagnosed as going through an early menopause.
OVERVIEW OF AN EGG DONATION CYCLE AND IVF
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) literally means “fertilization in glass”. In a nut shell, it involves stimulating eggs to grow and develop in the ovaries of the donor. When the eggs are mature they are collected or retrieved from the donor, mixed with sperm from the Intended Father, and placed in an incubator. After 3 - 5 days the fertilized eggs (now called embryos) are transferred into the uterus of the Intended Mother and, will hopefully implant and develop into a baby. The pregnancy or success rates for the Intended Parents are dependent upon the number of good quality eggs available for fertilization. The explanation below will describe the steps involved in stimulating and collecting the eggs for donation.
Ovarian Stimulation
Each month in a natural cycle a certain group of eggs are “sensitive” to the actions of hormones released from the brain. Usually only one egg develops to the point of being released each month. In a donation cycle the donor will administer additional hormone medication (a synthetic version of the natural hormone) to stimulate the growth and development of all the “sensitive” eggs. The hormonal medications are injected just beneath the skin (subcutaneous) - similar to an insulin injection. You will be taught to self administer the medications or we can teach another person of your choice to administer them. The medications are injected once daily for 10-12 days depending on the growth rate of the eggs.
Monitoring
The developing egg is microscopic and too small to see; however, it is enclosed in a balloon-like structure called a follicle that we can see. As the eggs grow and develop, the follicles will also grow in size.
WVFC monitors the growth of the follicles in 2 ways: by ultrasound and by blood tests. Serial vaginal ultrasounds are used to determine the number of developing follicles as well as measure their size. The first ultrasound and blood test are done before the beginning of the hormone medication. After the donor has been taking the hormonal medication for 7 days a second ultrasound and blood test are performed. Subsequent ultrasounds and blood tests (2-3) are performed over the next few days until optimum follicular size is reached. The vaginal ultrasounds are essentially painless.
The blood tests are for the measurement of the hormone estradiol that is secreted in increasing amounts by the developing follicles. By combining the information from the estradiol blood levels and ultrasound measurements Dr. Troche obtains a more complete picture of how the eggs are developing. When the follicles (eggs) are fully developed a medication called hCG is administered to trigger egg maturation. The egg retrieval is timed so that the mature eggs are collected before they are released or ovulated.
Egg Retrieval
The egg retrieval is accomplished in office using a vaginal ultrasound probe to direct the retrieval needle into the ovaries. Dr. Troche will visualize the desired follicle with the ultrasound probe, then advance the needle through the upper part of the vagina into the follicle, and aspirate its contents (fluid and egg). Each follicle in turn is aspirated and the fluid and eggs are collected and passed directly to our Embryologists.
For your comfort and safety, an anesthesiologist administers sedating medication so the donor sleeps through the 20 minute procedure. This is a “twilight sleep” or conscious sedation, not general anesthesia, and the donor usually goes home to rest within 1 hour of the retrieval. Regular activities such as school or work can usually resume the next day. The donor receives her compensation check at this time.
Medications used
The medications the donor administers to stimulate growth and development of the eggs are synthetic versions of the natural hormone released each month - Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). These medications, Follistim and Gonal –F, are made using recombinant technology and are very pure and reliably consistent in their potency. A second medication called Ganarelix or Cetratide is added to prevent the premature release (ovulation) of the eggs before they are mature and ready for retrieval. A final medication, called hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), is used to mature the fully developed eggs and ready them for retrieval. All three medications are administered as subcutaneous injections (like the insulin injection).
Side effects of the Medications
The hormonal medications used to stimulate egg growth and development have been used for many years to treat women who do not ovulate regularly. As with any medication there are possible side effects and these will be thoroughly discussed with you. The most common side effects are pain, redness and/or bruising at the injection site.
Occasionally, the ovaries respond better than expected to the medication and the ovaries become over stimulated. Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) generally causes enlarged ovaries accompanied by abdominal discomfort and/or pain. This condition is self-limiting (only lasts until your next period) and can be reduced with the administration of an anti-estrogen medication. Rarely, in severe cases, additional symptoms may require careful monitoring of the donor and possibly hospitalization.
Studies suggest no increased incidence, now or in the future, of birth defects, congenital abnormalities, spontaneous miscarriages or ovarian cancer associated with the use of these medications. Also, since only the “sensitive” eggs are recruited and stimulated, use of these medications does not seem to affect your future ability to have children.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND CONCERNS FOR EGG DONORS
Frequently Asked Question about Egg Donation
Does it hurt?
Many donors will feel some discomfort or feelings of fullness around the time of the egg retrieval and possibly for a short time after the retrieval. We prescribe for our donors an anti-estrogen medication (in pill form) to decrease some of these symptoms. Any discomfort is fully resolved with the next period. A mild pain medication (also a pill) is ordered for your comfort.
Abortion
Women may donate if they have had an abortion in the past.
Abstinence
Donors are expected to abstain from sexual intercourse once the fertility medications are started and until the following menstrual period. The donor is very fertile during this time and abstaining from intercourse will prevent the donor from inadvertently becoming pregnant herself. It will also decrease the risk of complications and discomfort.
Anonymity
Except for known donors brought by the Intended Parents, all donor information except birth year and pertinent family and health information is kept confidential and not released to the Intended Parents. Any contact between the donor and Intended Parents will be conducted through WVFC until such time as the present laws are changed.
Bilateral Tubal Ligation (“Tubal or tied tubes”)
Women may donate if they have had a tubal ligation.
Birth Control Pills
Many donors use Birth Control Pills as a routine contraceptive method. We ask donors to briefly discontinue use of the Pill two times: one is during the evaluation period so that we can accurately determine the amount of fertility medication each individual donor will need, and the second is when the fertility medications are started for the donation cycle. The Pill may be used between the evaluation period and the donation cycle, and can resume with the period following the donation cycle.
Compensation
Compensation for the donor is paid immediately following the egg retrieval procedure. The $3500 compensates the donor for her time, missed work time, commitment to administer the medication in the appropriate manner and to attend all appointments, for any discomfort and potential risk (low) of injury from the egg retrieval. The IRS does not consider this compensation a gift, and must be reported. A Form 1099 will be sent to each donor in January following the donation.
Depo-Provera and Norplant
Donors must have the Norplant removed and be off the Depo-Provera medication for several months before initiating the screening process or donating.
Exercise
We encourage all of our donors to be physically fit and active. However, once the fertility medications are started and until the following menstrual period, we recommend they refrain from strenuous or excessive exercise for their comfort and to decrease the risk of medical complications. Mild to Moderate exercise (walking, biking, yoga, etc) is encouraged. Once the menstrual period following the donation cycle occurs the donor is free to resume a more strenuous exercise program if desired.
How often can I donate?
Present guidelines recommend that a donor may donate up to 6 times in her lifetime.
How long must I wait before donating again?
We recommend you wait at least 1 month between donations. A back-to-back donation puts the donor at higher risk for complications.
Intrauterine Device (IUD)
Donors with an IUD may donate eggs without having the IUD removed if it is a non-hormone releasing type. Hormone releasing IUDs such as the Mirena will interfere with the screening tests and the donation cycle and must be removed prior to the screening and donation cycle.
Missed School/Work
WVFC tries to minimize the donor’s time away from work or school and will try to schedule appointments at a convenient time for the donor. All appointments for monitoring follicle development must occur in the morning and usually last less than 30 min. Only the day of egg retrieval requires a full day off from work or school. Discretely worded notes from the physician are available if necessary.
Nuva-ring
Some donors use Nuva-rings as a routine contraceptive method. We ask donors to briefly discontinue use of the Nuva-ring two times: one is during the evaluation period so that we can accurately determine the amount of fertility medication each individual donor will need, and the second is the month before the donation cycle (we use birth control pills immediately before the donation cycle). Use of the Ring may resume with the period following the donation cycle.
I’ve never been pregnant, can I still donate?
It is not necessary to have been pregnant to donate your eggs.
Do I have any responsibility for any child born from my donation?
The Donor has no parental, custodial, emotional, legal or financial obligations to any embryos, fetuses, or child (ren) created or born from an egg donation.
Tattoo and Piercings
Donors must wait 8 weeks after receiving a body piercing before donating-even if a sterile (disposable) technique was used. Tattoos require a one year wait (deferral). Because of the risk of infectious disease, if the donor is unsure whether a sterile technique was used then she must wait for 1 year after receiving the tattoo or body piercing before donating.
Vaccines
Many vaccinations require a short waiting period (2-4 weeks) after the vaccination. We recommend a donor schedule routine immunizations for the month following a donation cycle. Vaccinations with wait periods include: Chicken Pox, Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Tetanus, and Smallpox.
If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Laura, our Third Party Program Coordinator. If you are interested in becoming a donor, please request an information packet from our egg donor information line at (602) 445-1165 or download the initial egg donor questionnaire. Completed forms can be mailed or faxed back to Laura.
Thank you for your interest in becoming an egg donor and helping an infertile couple complete their family. It is truly a precious gift you are considering giving to another.
Last updated:
June 4, 2008
Reviewed by Dr. Vladimir Troche and his medical staff