It looks like DH and I will try adopting some eggs from a donor since my egg quality is not good. Has anyone else here explored this option? Even though I won't be technically biologically connected, DH will be, and I will still carry the baby, so it seems like a great option. Plus the RE gave us about 70% odds that it will work. Thoughts?
Re: Egg donor option?
How did you find out your eggs aren't good? I ask this question because my RE thinks that may be our problem but I don't think he's right. Did you do IVF?
Just an FYI - if you are just doing the eggs, then it is a "donation", you are really paying the donor fee. In this case, they eggs would be fertilized using your husbands sperm.
If you adopt, then it is embryos. These are, of course, already fertilized. So, there would be no biological link with you or your husband. You would have a frozen transfer cycle and carry the pregnancy (fingers crossed).
Even though you would give birth, there would be no bio link.
The process is different for each case.
With a donor, you generally select the donor from a pool of donors. Each RE has a different process. Some allow you to have access to the entire pool, while others will choose for you based on some pre-determined items. Most people have no problems getting a donor - they may have to wait a little while becasue the donor may be working with another couple. Since it is just the eggs that are used, your husband's sperm would be used to try to fertlize the eggs.
With adoption, a couple has extra embryos that they will not use. They don't want them destroyed so they want to have someone adopt them. The receiving couple have to have a full homestudy done, and usually need an attorney. The "giving" couple have all the power. They choose who receives the embryos. That said, you could possibly wait a while to be chosen. Like I said before, there would be no biological tie with option
Good Luck no matter what you do
My Blog
Hi! DE ivf is our plan. DE IVF is basically the same as an IVF cycle except the donor takes stims and you just take estrogen and prog.
There are some good books on it if you check w/ your local library that deal w/ many aspects of it. I have a blog and my blog roll has mainly DE blogs in it.
Do you have any specific questions? I'll be around today!
We will probably be doing door eggs (DE) in June/July if my Premature Ovarian Failure isn't resolved by then. There is a DE check-in here, it's usually on Tuesdays. DE is a great option and it's usually pretty successful. It is pricey, though, and most insurances won't cover it. Obviously, you lose the genetic link, but you still get to carry your baby. Most clinics have an in-house donor pool and allow you to select your donor or at least tell them what you are looking for in a donor. You can also look at private DE agencies, but they are more expensive.
You can always check out my blog if you'd like (link in siggy). We just went through the donor selection process and are on the waiting list for June '09. Also, IVF connectoins has a great DE board. If you ever want to email me, it's arb2 at hotmail dot com. Good luck!!
There are 3 options when it comes to getting donor eggs:
Each has pros and cons that I'd be happy to talk more about it you're interested.
As Amy said, generally, if you are talking about "adoption" that's with donor embryos. You generally don't have to go through an adoption process for donor eggs UNLESS you use someone international and then, depending on certain laws, you might have to adopt the eggs.
We're in the process of starting DE-IVF as well. After 4 IVFs with nearly 80 eggs and 30+ embryos - all of which were terrible, our "diagnosis" is poor egg quality. I'm only 34, so it's unusual to have just "bad eggs" but that's the only conclusion that three different REs have come to. So, que sera sera. I'm also just happy to get started with a process that might actually work. Feel free to check out my blog for my thoughts on the process and my story so far. And as the pp poster mentioned, there are several of us that in the process of starting or considering DE and we have a regular check in.
GL!
Elizabeth
I am a runner, knitter, scientist, DE-IVF veteran, and stage III colon cancer survivor.