Ovum (Egg) Donation Process

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Getting Started

Your first step will be to complete our short online initial screening form.  Once you fill this out, it will be sent directly to our Ovum Donor Educator, Nicole, who will review your information and contact you via email regarding your next step in the process.  If you are approved based upon the information you provide in your initial screening form, your next step is to register for and attend an online webinar.  The purpose of the webinar is to provide you with all of the details about the egg donor program from start to finish.  Since it is a live presentation, you will be able to have all of your questions answered by our Ovum Donor Educator, Nicole.

Application

Once you have completed the webinar, you will be granted access to our online application.   You will complete the entire application online and submit photos and documents via email or mail to our Ovum Donor Coordinator, Carla.  Copies of the following documents are required to complete your application: 

• Birth Certificate
• Driver's License
• Social Security Card
• Passport (if applicable)
• Photos - (the photos you submit must be professional, clear, and show you at your best; they must include at least one headshot and one full length photo; the more photos you submit, the better!)
• Most current transcripts (college or highschool)

Once we receive these documents, you will begin the prescreening process.  The first part of the prescreening process is for the Ovum Donor Coordinator to review your application.  If additional information or clarification is needed, a phone call will be arranged. 

Screening Process

We prescreen all of our donors so that you and the intended parents can feel confident that you are qualified to complete an egg donation before a match is made.  The following are the steps that will be completed during your screening process:

• Health History Application approval - Your application will be sent to the retrieval clinics for physicians review and approval.  This process can take up to 4-6 weeks.
• Second Explanation Phone Call - After receiving clinical approval, a phone call will be scheduled between you and Amberly to review the next steps of the program. 
• Contract Signing - You will be required to sign an exclusive agreement with our agency.  By signing this contract, you give up all legal rights to any embryos created or children who result from your donation.  Therefore, donation results pertaining to pregnancy are confidential information and property of the intended parents.
• Criminal Background Check - You will complete a release form with your agreement.  A background check will occur once the agreement and release form are signed and returned.
• Social Assessment - Once your agreement has been signed and returned, the next step is to complete a Social Assessment with our Professional Counselor.  She will schedule a 30-60 minute phone call to complete your Social Assessment and provide you with additional information on what to expect as you proceed with your donation process.  
• Hormone Level Testing - The final step in the prescreening process is to complete your hormone level testing at a lab location in your area.  Test results will determine your eligability to safely and successfully complete a donation program.  Disqualification will occur if hormone levels do not fall within the required range established by the retrieval clinics.

Matching Process

Once you complete the prescreening process, your anonymous profile will be circulated among intended parents via a secure, online, password protected donor database.  Your identifying information (full name, address, employer, social security number, driver's license number, etc.) will not appear on the database or be given to intended parents, or to the children who are born as a result of your donation, unless you expressly permit us to do so.  

Your profile will include the following information:

• General information regarding your physical characteristics
• Educational and employment history
• Diet and exercise habits
• Pregnancy history (if applicable)
• Personal medical history
• Family medical history
• Personal messages by you, the donor
• Photos

Your donor profile will remain active in the database until you are selected by intended parents.  When an intended parent shows interest in selecting you to be their donor, we will contact you to confirm your availability for a program.  Unfortunately, we are not able to predict when, or guarantee, that you will be matched into a program.

Medical Testing

Once you are matched in a program, your first step will be to complete infectious disease and additional hormone level testing.  Your IARC® Program Coordinator will assist you in scheduling appointments to complete this testing in your local area.  The testing will involve a blood draw, urine sample and/or vaginal/cervical swabbing.

Birth Control

From the time you begin the prescreening process with IARC, through the actual egg retrieval, it is critical that you use an effective method of contraception or abstinence to prevent pregnancy.  This is especially important once you are matched, as a program cannot be completed or will be canceled if you become pregnant or contract any infectious disease(s).

Preparing for the Egg Retrieval

Once your medical testing is completed, the clinic will create a medical protocol for you to follow.  This protocol will inform you which medications you will be taking, when and how you will be taking them, and your anticipated dates of travel.  You will have at least four weeks advanced notice before you are expected to travel,  so that you are able to arrange time off of work and coordinate childcare, if necessary.  On average, you will be expected to travel for 7-10 consecutive days.  During the 7-10 days, you will complete manditory monitoring.  Monitoring includes blood draws and vaginal ultrasounds to ensure your body is reponding appropriately to the medications. 

The Procedure

For the retrieval procedure, you will be placed under full or partial sedation for your safety and comfort .  The eggs will be retrieved using a trans-vaginal ultrasound probe with an attached aspiration needle.  The needle is guided through the vaginal wall to the ovaries where the physician has precise and direct access to the egg follicles.  Most egg donors experience minimal discomfort during this non-invasive procedure.  Once the retrieval is completed, you will need to rest for 1-2 days before you are able to fly home.  You may feel drowsy and bloated after the procedure, so most donors appreciate having that time to rest before returning to their normal schedule.  Abdominal discomfort is normal for at least 3-7 days following the procedure.  This may include, but is not limited to, cramping, bloating, pelvic tenderness, and constipation.  If your symptoms do not subside or if they increase, you will be directed to seek further medical attention.