What are the basic medical procedures involved with egg donation?

The chance of success with egg donation is much greater if multiple eggs are retrieved. Therefore, the egg donor undergoes treatment with fertility drug injections (gonadotropins). During this time, the development of the follicles is monitored by ultrasound and blood tests for estradiol. If the donor lives outside of this geographic area, it is often possible to have some of this monitoring done by an experienced physician close to the donor’s home. When the follicles are mature, the donor receives an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and the eggs are retrieved 35 hours later. Most commonly, the eggs are fertilized using the sperm of the recipient’s partner. Donor sperm may be used if the recipient does not have a male partner or if her partner does not produce sperm.

It is extremely important to coordinate the development of the eggs and embryos with the development of the recipient’s uterine lining. The embryos will only implant if transferred during a window of time after appropriate exposure to estrogen and then progesterone. Therefore, the hormones estrogen and progesterone are prescribed in a timeframe that is synchronized with the development of the eggs. While the donor is taking fertility medications, the recipient will take estrogen tablets to prepare her uterine lining for receiving the embryos. Shortly before the embryo transfer, the recipient will begin taking progesterone along with the estrogen in a way that mimics what happens in a natural menstrual cycle.

It is usually recommended that one or two embryos be transferred. This number is carefully discussed with your physician because the biggest risk of assisted reproductive technologies is the risk of multiple pregnancy. You may choose to transfer one embryo to reduce the risk of having a multiple pregnancy. If additional viable embryos are created during the cycle, these can be frozen for possible transfer at a later time. If a pregnancy develops, it is necessary to take hormone supplementation during the first trimester of the pregnancy. After this time, the pregnancy itself makes sufficient hormones, and no additional hormone supplementation is needed.

Although a child conceived through egg donation will not be genetically related to the mother who delivers the child, most women who have become mothers through oocyte donation feel that they have developed a strong maternal bond to the child during the pregnancy. They also appreciate the fact that they have control over pregnancy. Unlike adoption, egg donation allows the birth mother and her partner to be recognized as the legal parents from the beginning.

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