Have you ever switched donors?

mypalbabs · May 2012

Assuming you used (or are using) an unknown donor, have you ever switched? If so, what were the circumstances?

We've had two successful BFPs (back to back), both ending in early miscarriage. I have no idea if there's ever a "bad combination" of sperm/egg based on individual DNA, but we're pretty spooked and have decided to select a different donor.

I'd love to hear your opinions or stories.

2brides · May 2012

Yep, we switched 2x (for a total of 3 different donors over our 9 attempts.) I can't recall at what point we changed from donor #1 to donor #2 - but it was after several attempts of not getting pregnant and what we felt were low motility numbers. We switched from donor #2 to Donor #3 our last cycle due to the same reasons and VIOLA. Pregnant. Donor #3 had crazy high numbers (which probably also accounts for his crazy number of pregnancies.)

We never were wedded to any donor and they were chosen based on the coloring of my wife and their medical profiles and at the bank that could courier the sperm to the RE vs shipping.

maryoosa · May 2012

We also swtiched twice. We've still had not luck. Our first bank was IDANT, in NYC- we picked them to save $$ on shipping; however, we paid for it in low motility.

Now we work with California Cryo, and they are 2x the cost + ridiculous shipping, but generally a better bank. Our first donor ran out (because I think the sperm donor business is such a racket, and I have a viable cycle so rarely that I refuse to "buy in advance" 'cause then I'd have to pay for storage). So, now we're on our second donor at CC and we picked him because he has known pregnancies, among other things.

mypalbabs · May 2012

2brides:
Yep, we switched 2x (for a total of 3 different donors over our 9 attempts.) I can't recall at what point we changed from donor #1 to donor #2 - but it was after several attempts of not getting pregnant and what we felt were low motility numbers. We switched from donor #2 to Donor #3 our last cycle due to the same reasons and VIOLA. Pregnant. Donor #3 had crazy high numbers (which probably also accounts for his crazy number of pregnancies.)
We never were wedded to any donor and they were chosen based on the coloring of my wife and their medical profiles and at the bank that could courier the sperm to the RE vs shipping.

I saw you reference this in another thread - how were you able to find out how many pregnancies the donor had? We only know "yes/no". (We're using Cryotech in the Twin Cities.)

2brides · May 2012

I googled our bank and then "donor ####"

Keep in mind that we used our donor in 2005 (and he was active before that) so there has been a long time to have information out there about him (ie. there is a Yahoo Group solely for families who have children through him and he is referenced in a few articles.)

You can also get on Donor Sibling Registry and get basic information without paying the fee. And I think there is a free registry - though I can't recall the name of it.

Kershnic · May 2012

I'm sorry to hear about your second cp. It sucks. We're not there yet and I really don't want to have to switch donors, but if we have another cp it would be on my list of things to consider and talk to our doctor about.

Three m/c is usually the line people talk about for getting help, but you may want to consider at least seeking a 7dpo P4 test next cycle.

mypalbabs · May 2012

2brides:
I googled our bank and then "donor ####"
Keep in mind that we used our donor in 2005 (and he was active before that) so there has been a long time to have information out there about him (ie. there is a Yahoo Group solely for families who have children through him and he is referenced in a few articles.)
You can also get on Donor Sibling Registry and get basic information without paying the fee. And I think there is a free registry - though I can't recall the name of it.

This blows my mind. And reminds me of an X-Files episode. (No worries, no alien babies, just a prolific donor!)

Hopefully all of the kids are scattered across the US and not concentrated in one city!

mypalbabs · May 2012

Kershnic:
I'm sorry to hear about your second cp. It sucks. We're not there yet and I really don't want to have to switch donors, but if we have another cp it would be on my list of things to consider and talk to our doctor about.
Three m/c is usually the line people talk about for getting help, but you may want to consider at least seeking a 7dpo P4 test next cycle.

We actually have an appt with a reproductive specialist in mid-June. If we get pregnant on our May cycle, we'll just cancel the appointment. If we don't, we'll keep the appointment and see what he has to say. He specializes in repeat miscarriages.

To be clear - two miscarriages over an entire lifetime of having children isn't a lot - I get that. But we've had two cycles, which resulted in two positives, which ended in two chemical pregnancies. Statistically, it's unusual, to say the least.

If my partner checks out just fine, we may still use the doc for IUI, which has a slightly higher success rate than at-home ICI, which is what we did our first two cycles.

Oh, and my original question! What's a 7dpo P4 test? That's new to me.

emma+karen · May 2012

I like our donor a lot and really hope that we don't end up having to switch. That said, I think actually one of the very few benefits of having to use a donor is the freedom to switch if there seems to be incompatibility. Straight couples, in this one respect, have it harder!

mypalbabs · May 2012

emma+karen:
I like our donor a lot and really hope that we don't end up having to switch. That said, I think actually one of the very few benefits of having to use a donor is the freedom to switch if there seems to be incompatibility. Straight couples, in this one respect, have it harder!

Good point! We don't have to worry about anyone's feelings being hurt (or even worse... their manliness being questioned) by switching.

Kershnic · May 2012

Sorry for the lingo. 7dpo P4 is just a progesterone test at 7 days past ovulation. It confirms ovulation, but also gives an indication of "strength" of ovulation and your body's natural progesterone production. Low progesterone can be one reason for miscarriage.

I'm glad to hear you have a doctor appointment. I agree it seems somewhat more concerning to have two in a row as your only ttc attempts. But hopefully it's just a weird coincidence and you won't have anymore issues.

bluedaisyus · May 2012

we switched donors when we were trying for our son. we tried 3 times with the first donor, then switched to our second choice and got pregnant on the 3rd try (we had already picked him out at the beginning, he was actually my first choice but she felt more strongly about it so we went with hers first). we haven't switched this time despite our issues because we really want to use the same donor if at all possible.

TaylorandMel · May 2012

Yup, we did 4 IUIs with one donor and I think 5 IUIs with another donor. We switched to a third donor when we did our IVF. It must have been the magic combination. : )

TooCuteAkane · May 2012

I know a bunch of girls who switched and it was like a magic ticket.

ball.and.chain · May 2012

I'm sorry to hear about your 2 CPs. That's terrible.

We just switched donors. We used our 1st donor for 6 unsuccessful IUIs. The last 2 were with an RE who did sperm analysis and showed low motile counts. That's ultimately why we switched, but we might have considered it after 6 failed cycles anyway. If I manage to ovulate on my left side again this cycle (my right tube might be blocked, so we avoid those cycles), it will be our first try with the new donor.

I think I read somewhere that lower quality sperm can produce a "lower quality" embryo that is more likely to miscarry. In other words, just because sperm is good at getting you pregnant does not necessarily mean it is good at producing a viable pregnancy. I have NO back up for this info; I think I read it on a Bump board. But it seems like being "spooked" by your experience -- who wouldn't be? -- is a perfectly legitimate reason to switch donors.

mypalbabs · May 2012

ball.and.chain:
I'm sorry to hear about your 2 CPs. That's terrible.

We just switched donors. We used our 1st donor for 6 unsuccessful IUIs. The last 2 were with an RE who did sperm analysis and showed low motile counts. That's ultimately why we switched, but we might have considered it after 6 failed cycles anyway. If I manage to ovulate on my left side again this cycle (my right tube might be blocked, so we avoid those cycles), it will be our first try with the new donor.

I think I read somewhere that lower quality sperm can produce a "lower quality" embryo that is more likely to miscarry. In other words, just because sperm is good at getting you pregnant does not necessarily mean it is good at producing a viable pregnancy. I have NO back up for this info; I think I read it on a Bump board. But it seems like being "spooked" by your experience -- who wouldn't be? -- is a perfectly legitimate reason to switch donors.

This is our thinking as well. Meg (my partner) did visit her PCC yesterday, who supports our decision to switch and said it makes sense from a medical perspective. (Granted she's a PC doc and not an RE, but still.) There's really no downside to us switching.

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