Third-Party Reproduction

Egg donor

Can anyone give me some insight on egg donation. I am considering being a donor but am curious about what other donors have experienced. Thanks!
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Re: Egg donor

  • Welcome to the board!!  I am not an egg donor, but a pg as an egg donor recipient.  There are a few egg donors floating around here and I hope that they will chime in and welcome you soon with their experiences.  Thank you for considering being an ED, what you are considering is invaluable to those who do not have eggs that can produce children.  An egg donor cycle, is basically an IVF cycle where donor and recipient sync up their cycles.  Recipient builds up her lining and donor takes stimulating medications to develop as many follicles as possible.  At the right time, eggs are obtained from follicles  (donor ends her journey here), eggs are fertilized and allowed to grow for 3-5 days.  Then they are transferred to the recipient.  Many woman who have gotten to this point, have tried many, many times to get pregnant with their OE.  So glad that you are considering becoming a donor.  We are forever grateful for the gift that our donor has provided us with.
    TTC since 10/09 Me-43 DH-44 RE and testing 10/10-11/10, Recommending IVF 1/11 New RE AMA and DOR-DH low motility IVF #1.1 cancelled 3/11 due to poor response IVF #1.2 May 2011, one perfect 8-cell embryo, 3dt-BFN, IVF #2.1 Converted to IUI d/t poor response. New RE 9/2011. IVF 2.2 completed using HGH,EPP,DHEA, Q-10 and accupuncture. Transferred one 8-cell, grade one embryo on 10/19. BFP 10/31/11 Chemical pregancy on 11/2/11. Started stims for IVF #3, our final try, on 12-2-11. ET on 12/18. Transferred 3 Grade A embryos-BFFN Planning DE IVF, late March/early April- Donors ER expected to be 4/2-4/4. PAIF/SAIF welcome
  • Hi! I am a rising egg donor, so to speak, as I am in the process of donating for the first time. 

    As far as what it entails, the first thing I did was contact a clinic I liked to get the ball rolling and ask my questions (you can also go through an agency).  There was an initial questionnaire to see whether my health information, expectations etc excluded me.  Then they asked me more about familiy history ("genetic counseling") and I filled out a longer questionnaire and sent pictures, this time for a profile the intended recipients look at to choose a donor.  Finally the psych and health evaluations (I think I did a post about these when I did them a month or two ago).

    Then comes matching!  I was matched right away, and was put on birth control right away to sync the cycles.  That's where I am now.  Next I will do the injections for a week or two to stimulate the eggs.  Ours are easier (and there are fewer of them) than ladies doing IVF for themselves, because we only need to stimulate our ovaries (so that the eggs that would normally die off that period stick around instead), we don't need to prepare our uteruses for pregnancy.

    That's just the practical/medical side of things.  Of course the really amazing part is helping an family have their miracle baby!  I am really excited to be an egg donor, and so far I am really happy I made that choice.  I feel like I am a part of something bigger, doing something that will truly make a difference.  You know, it would be really great to have another egg donor on the board!

    Feel free to ask more specific questions.  I'm not sure what you're most interested to know so I just threw some info out there.  Good luck!
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  • ljanette85ljanette85 member
    edited August 2013
    Thank you so much for the feed back. My one concern is that I am a carrier for the cystic fibrosis gene. Idk if this will make me ineligible. I know that the father also has to be a carrier, so if he is not then maybe it's ok? How did you feel on the meds? How long does the entire process take?
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  • Hi, I'm pretty sure with the CF gene you won't qualify for most places, unless it was you donating to a friend. It's awesome you want to donate, but I think that's a deal-breaker. :(
    Lil'mamaz was born on Aug 21, 2014! She's PERFECT!

    It's been a long road to here...
    Me (43) and J (45) - same sex couple. And we don't feel 40+!
    June'12 - First RE Visit
    Sept. '12 - Tubes removed
    Dec. '12 - Donor Egg/Donor Sperm IVF Cycle - 4 good embies!
    Dec. '12 - Fresh transfer, BFP! EDD 8/29/13
    Mar. '13 - Missed m/c at 16w1d, baby boy stopped growing at 15w4d
    Loss due to umbilical cord clot...baby was perfect. :(
    Jul '13 - FET#1 - c/p
    Sept. '13 - FET#2 - BFN
    Dec.' 2, 2013 - FET#3 with our last chance embie - BFP!!!
    Dec' 26, 2013 - hb!!
    EDD 8/20/14 with a baby girl!
    Little S was born on 8/21/14 - 8lb, 14 oz and 20 inches long.
    We live in Seattle and used SRM for our donor egg IVF cycle


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  • Hi, I'm pretty sure with the CF gene you won't qualify for most places, unless it was you donating to a friend. It's awesome you want to donate, but I think that's a deal-breaker. :(

    Aww I had a feeling that may be an issue. I'm going to call to check just in case
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  • Depends on the clinic.  In mine, the only condition that disqualifies you is Fragile X syndrome.  They said CF was fine, because they test all the fathers as well, so there definitely are clinics out there that wouldn't exclude you for that.

    As for the meds, I'm still on the BCP so I haven't personally experienced them. Stick around through mid-September and I'll give you the skinny :)  

    Whole thing, from BCP to egg retrieval, will be about 2 months for me--~2 weeks of which involve the injection meds and frequent visits (I think). 
  • As a recipient of DE's myself, I just wanted to add my "thanks" for even considering being a donor!!  And of course, welcome to the TPR board!! :)

    While there aren't many egg donors posting on here (thanks Argyle Bride!), many of us have tried IVF, albeit unsuccessfully, with our own eggs.  I myself have been through 3 egg retrievals and the meds never really bothered me too much (maybe some hot flashes at night, LOL.)  However, I was never at risk for OHSS, since we only got a handful of eggs each time.  The hardest part for me was anticipating going under anesthesia for the egg retrieval....but I was lucky to not have any ill effects afterwards.

    I also see (from your siggy) that you have a child already.  Are you one and done?  I only ask because other donors have been warned that the meds could affect their future fertility, so you want to make sure you aren't jeopardizing the possibility of having more children - if you want them.  However, age and your medical history (FSH, AFC, AMH) all play a role in whether or not you could be considered a candidate....so obviously you will need a work up to determine if you are indeed a good candidate. 

    Finally, while some agencies or clinics may accept you with the CF gene, just keep in mind that some potential recipients may rule you out b/c of it.  I'm not trying to discourage you by any means....just wanted to give you my take on it, from a recipient's perspective.

    Best of luck to you as consider whether or not to move forward!  It is wonderful that you are even considering doing this for another woman like me, so thanks again!!!

    Me: AMA, DOR, undetectable AMH, carrier of SMA, MTHFR homozygous C677T, high cytokines, low IGg B cells, Factor XIII V34l mutation, High Anti-Phosphatidylethanolmine, borderline hypothyroid and mildly insulin resistant.

     

    MH: No known issues, aside from MTHFR.

     

    Recommendations from RI: LIT, Humira, IVIG, Lovenox, Baby Aspirin, Folic Acid, Low-dose synthroid and Metformin.

     

    Currently taking:  Pre-Natal vitamins, Foltanx, Low-dose synthroid and Metformin. 

     

    When cycling also taking: Baby Aspirin, Lovenox, Humira and IVIG.

     

    TTC since 7/11/09..with medical intervention starting in 2010, including 4 failed IVF's and 6 failed IUI's...only "success" was a chemical pregnancy in 11/2012 (credited to use of DE).

    FET #1 (11th cycle) on 8/23/13 = BFN.

    FET #2 (12th cycle) Transfer of last two (day 6) donor egg blasts on 1/22/14 = BFP, EDD = 10/10/14 (please stick little BOY!)

     

    My favorite breed:

     

    image

    ***PAIF/SAIF always welcome***

  • Thank you for considering egg donation! Our egg donor is our angel and I will never forget her!

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  • Alicia_R1Alicia_R1 member
    edited September 2013

    I was a donor, I had to call the clinic to volunteer, I went in had a lot of tests, pap, U/S, all kinds of bloodwork, like 9 vials.  I filled out family history, psych evaluation, my own medical history, education, interests, etc and submitted a photo. 

    I was matched pretty quickly, was on BCP for a while, then I know I was on follistim and 1 other med, I was doing 3 injections per day, but I can't recall for the life of the the 2nd med, I know it was refrigerated...but this was back in 2006 time frame.  I went in for an initial U/S and bloodwork, they would call with the dose I was to take later that day.  For a while, I would go in every 3 days, then every 2 then every day until I was told to trigger and then went in for the retrieval. 

    I didn't mind the shots at all, the only side effect I recall from then was how puffy I felt and I could definately feel my ovaries, they were a bit tender.  I was fine right after the retrieval.  though I wasn't allowed to run during the course of giving myself the meds and for a few weeks after until my ovaries went back down to a normal size.  Instead I would still lift lightly and use the stationary bike. 

    honestly it was one of the best things I did, and I signed up a few more times, but never got matched a 2nd or 3rd, now I'm too old.  I did it at a time when I never though I would want children but I knew that someone else wanted them so badly that if I could help, I was happy to. 

    Me: 34, DH: 32
    TTC Since September 2012
    Dx-PCOS, Anovulation, highly irregular cycles
    March 2013 Comid 50 mg+ TI #1: BFN
    April 2013 Clomid mg + TI #2: BFN
    IVM#1 Aug 2012: BFN
    20 FEB 2014:  CP
    IUI #1 Clomid 100mg  24 FEB 2014: BFN

    IUI #2 Clomid 100mg  21 MAR 2014: BFN

    IUI#3 Follistim & trigger 21 May 2014: BFN

    IVF #1 Follistim & Menopur: 14R, 9M, 7F, transfered 2 day 3 8 cell embies

    Beta #1: 7/30: 41  Beta #2 8/1: 96   Beta #3 8/4: 796   EDD:4/9/15

      

     

     

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    All Welcome 

  • I donated in 2011. Everything @alicia said was right on for me. During the injections, my ovaries hurt a bit. I actually work in the fertility field as well so I was aware of what my hormone levels would indicate as I was being monitored. I usually see estrodial levels of between 2,000 to 6,000 during monitoring when I am at work but during my stim, my estrodial level got to 17,000!!! I knew my cycle should have been cancelled at a risk of OHSS but just couldn't bear the thought of wasting all that couples money on meds and testing and the doc said I'd hyper stim but be fine. Well, I ended up in ICU for a week and had 1100 cc's of fluid removed from my abdomen and chest. Through the process, I learned that I actually have PCOS which puts me at a greater risk of hyperstiming and shouldn't have been given the high doses of meds that I did. I know all that sounded horrible but, honestly, I would have done it all over...I'd just be a little more aware of what was happening and would have done more research and asked the doc more questions to prevent the side effects I went through. The normal process, not my extreme example, is completely worth it to help create life and even with all that happened, the process didn't mess with my fertility. It took clomid for me to get pregnant 8 months later but that was because I was PCOS and not from the donor process. Good luck on your journey and feel free to PM me if you have any questions
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  • I know this post is abut older but I am a two time donor for my BFF. I am going through the 2nd cycle now. First was in 2011.
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