Here are the most commonly asked questions asked concerning the donor process...
Q. What is the process of being a donor and how long does it take?
A.What is the Process
Step 1: Submitting an application You should start by reviewing the information provided on this website which has been designed to help you decide if egg donation is right for you. You may have additional questions outside of the FAQ before making the final decision to become an egg donor. If so, please don’t hesitate to call us or e-mail us. Remember, there are no silly questions, so feel free to ask whatever you’d like to know. Once you are ready to begin, fill out the online form, remembering to provide as many details as possible.
Step 2: Acceptance into the program All online forms are reviewed upon arrival. Accepted applicants will be contacted via e-mail by an Egg Donor Coordinator who may ask for further details on the information you provided. The coordinator will also answer any additional questions you may have and give you a complete orientation to the program. Your best interest is always our top priority!
Step 3: The online selection process Once you have been accepted into the program and have decided to become a donor, you will be asked to send approximately 8-15 photographs showing intended parents what you looked like at ages varying from childhood to the present. You will e-mail the pictures to the egg donation coordinator. (Please do not try to upload them to your profile.) Your profile will be posted and made searchable on our password-protected website, where only our registered recipients will have access. Again, there is never any identifying information posted on our website. In addition we only show your middle name as your name for your profile that intended parents look at. It is strictly confidential! Once someone picks you, we will contact you for the medical screening.
Step 4: The Screenings Within a couple of weeks after being chosen, the fertility center will contact you to schedule the medical screening appointment. This appointment will usually include a physical exam, blood tests (including genetic screening, STD testing, drug/nicotine screening, etc.), and a review of the entire process with the Egg Donor Nurse Coordinator. You will also have psychological screenings and background checks done. For the most part, you will have very little to do now until the last few weeks of the donation process.
Step 5: Medication and Monitoring During the last two to three weeks of the process, you will give yourself daily injections to stimulate egg development. These are typically very small needles (similar than insulin needles) which go just into the skin of the thigh or abdomen. Our donors tell us that they were a little nervous at first, but that it becomes very easy to administer these shots with very little discomfort involved. While you are on the medications you will be closely monitored to make sure you are responding well to the medications. You will have approximately 5 appointments. During the last two to three weeks of the process, you will give yourself daily injections to stimulate eggs. You will have early morning monitoring sessions which usually take about 15 minutes involving blood work and vaginal ultrasounds.
Step 6: The retrieval Finally, you will undergo the egg retrieval, a quick 20-30 minute procedure. The procedure involves a light anesthesia (i.e. you will be asleep) but no incisions. After spending approximately 30 to 45 minutes in the recovery room you will then go home knowing that you have just given someone the most gracious gift one woman can give to another. Your clinic will schedule a follow up session if appropriate.
Your compensation for donating will be mailed out to you 3-5 days after your retrieval or you can pick up your check at our office. Donors are able to donate up to six times according to American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) guidelines. Since egg donation turns out to be such a rewarding experience, many of our donors ask to be available on the site right away!
Q. How much will I be paid to donate my eggs?
A. Extraordinary Conceptions compensates Donors for their time and effort, not for a Donor's eggs. The compensation rate starts at $5,000, with previously successful donors compensated at a higher rate.Q. When is my compensation paid?
A. A partial payment is given at the start of injectable medication, with the balance paid after the egg retrieval.Q. If I donate my eggs will I run out?
A. No. Women have hundreds of thousands of eggs and a small amount of these eggs are lost each month through ovulation. Fertility medication only uses those eggs for the invitro process.Q. What are the risks?
A. As with many medical procedures, there are always risks and possible side effects. The primary risk is a condition called Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome. This is relatively rare (1-3% of cases). Careful monitoring is done by your physician to avoid this possibility. Also, as with any procedure, a risk of infection exists, you will most likely be given antibiotics to avoid this. Common side effects that donors may or may not experience from the medications include: headaches, mood swings, bloating, nausea, and/or temporary stinging where the injection was administered.Q. What are the long-term risks?
A. There are no proven long-term risks from egg donation. Empirical studies have not demonstrated any definitive link between egg donation and infertility, cancer, or any other significant long-term health problems.Q. Can I donate if I'm on birth control?
A. Yes. You will have to stop during the process, once you begin injectable medications.Q. Can I donate if I've had a tubal ligation?
A. Yes, you may be an egg donor if you've had a tubal ligation. Your eggs will be retrieved prior to being released in the fallopian tubes.Q. Can I donate if I just had a baby and I'm breastfeeding?
A. You may not donate while you are breastfeeding. It is also necessary for you to have at least three regular menstrual cycles prior to participating in an egg donation cycle. You may start the application process.Q. Can I donate if I have had an abortion in the past?
A. Yes, women can donate if they have had abortions in the past.Q. Can I donate if I have tattoos and/or piercings?
A. Due to the risk of infectious disease, Donors must wait six months to one year after receiving a tattoo or body piercing before they can donate. However, if you have written and signed proof that your tattoo was administered with disposable needles, you do not have to wait the usual six months to a year to donate your eggs.Q. What if I am taking Depro Provera?
A. Donors must remain off this medication for several months before they can donate.Q. What if I have an Intrauterine Device (I.U.D.)?
A. Donors who have had an IUD insertion generally may donate without removing the IUD if it does not release any level of hormones. IUDs such as the Mirena IUD, that release hormones may have to be removed prior to egg donation. Please be sure to inform Extraordinary Conceptions if you have had an IUD insertion.Q. Do I have to pay for any medical or travel expenses?
A. No. The Future Parents will pay for any medical or travel expenses.Q. Will my insurance be billed for any of the medical appointments or medications?
A. All medical expenses related to the donation cycle are paid by the recipient.Q. What insurance coverage is offered?
A. An insurance policy will be purchased for you through Brown & Brown's Fertility Insurance Program. Participants in the infertility treatment process may find their health insurance excludes (or does not fully cover) infertility treatment or complications resulting from such procedures. There is no cost to you, as the recipient will cover the cost of this insurance for you. A detailed explanation of this insurance will be provided to you if you request it.Q. Can I go to my own personal doctor for the medical screening?
A. No.Q. How can I be sure that my donation remains confidential?
A. Donor confidentiality is protected by a legal contract with the recipient.Q. Will I get to meet the couple that receives my eggs?
A. No. Donation is usually anonymous.Q. Do I have any responsibility to any children that may be born?
A. The Future Parents assume total responsibility for the children born.Q. Will I have to take time off from school or work?
A. Appointments are usually early in the morning, so little or no time is missed. You will need to block an entire day for the Egg retrieval. If your retrieval requires travel to a city where the Recipient's doctor is located, you will need to take time off of work or school, usually 5-7 days.Q. Can I drink alcohol?
A. You will be asked to refrain from drinking alcohol and taking certain medications.Q. Can I exercise during the donation process?
A. Donors are expected to restrain from engaging in strenuous exercise from the time they begin stimulation hormones through a couple of weeks after the retrieval to avoid medical complications.Q. Must I abstain from sex during the donation process?
A. Donors are expected to abstain from sexual intercourse while on medications for the cycle. Donors are extremely fertile while on hormone stimulation medication and run the risk of multiple pregnancy if they do not abstain from sexual intercourse during this time period. Also, sexual intercourse could potentially expose the Donor to sexually transmitted diseases, which could be problematic for the egg donation cycle. A cycle can be canceled if a Donor engages in sexual intercourse while on medications.Q. Will I have to pay for my expenses if travel is required in my match?
A. No. The Future Parents will pay for all expenses involved with travel, which will be included in the legal contract you have with the Future Parents.Q. Do I have the right receive information regarding the recipient couple?
A. No. The Future Parents' privacy must be respected, however, in some cases the Future Parents have allowed background information to be given to their Donor.: Donor Center Overview
: Donor Fee Schedule
: Online Donor Application Form