Becoming an egg donor

[Sewingbeatshousework]

Hi, I'm looking into becoming an egg donor before I reach the cut off age (I'm currently 31) but info on websites are quite vague.

Can anyone talk me through the whole procedure please? I'm 2 hours away from the hospital where everything will be carried out & I have 2 children under 10 so need to factor their care/school into this too.

Looking to find out how many times I'll be expected to visit the hospital for tests/injections etc and over how long.

Tia!

[LHReturns]

I know nothing about it, but as a woman who might need a donor at some stage in the future I want to thank you.

What a generous, authentic, incredible gesture - especially with your own busy family life going on.

Thank you.

[WootyWoo]

Hi Sewing,

What a lovely thing for you to be looking into doing. I've not been an egg donor myself so have no first hand experience, but I have had quite a lot of IVF for myself so have had egg collection numerous times!

You will probably start with a basic blood test to test your ovarian reserve (amh test). This determines your drug dosage for ovarian stimulation.
You will probably then start with a down regulating drug so that the doctors can take control of your menstrual cycle. I think this is a drug you sniff 4 times a day but not 100% sure. This is 'long protocol' and I've only ever done 'short protocol' due to my low ovarian reserve (I will probably be trying an egg donor cycle soon).

You will probably have an internal scan just prior to stimulation to check you don't have any cysts and everything is ok.
Then you will start the stimulaton phase which will involve daily self-administered injections (very scary for me the first time but quite straightforward actually and you do get used to them). My stimulation phase usually lasts 9 days but I think I'm on the quick end of the scale as I ovulate early. It could take a couple of weeks.

Then you will be scanned again after a period of stimulation to check follicle development / size.

You may be given instructions to take a 'trigger' injection at this first scan to prime your follicles for egg collection 2 days later (or you may need to stimulate for a bit longer and return for another scan).

I'm not sure what's brought you to your decision to donate but I really admire your selflessness, what you're doing is really cool. I hope the information I've shared is helpful.

x

[WootyWoo]

p.s time-wise the internal scans shouldn't take long, give it an hour to be on the safe side.
The egg collection is under sedation so probably better to book the whole day off for it plus a lift home. They usually do it in the morning.

[needastrongone]

I've donated. But it was a long time ago, maybe 10 years now.

2 lovely DC, no conception problems. I wanted to give back.

I think I visited the hospital 3/4 times. They shut your own system down, then stimulate you to produce more than the just one egg. You have to inject yourself every day for a period of time. There was a couple of times I felt a bit faint doing this, but entirely my fault.

They did by accident overstimulate me, which wasn't great for me physically, but I did produce A LOT of eggs (36 until the harvesting was too painful) so help 3 couples.

I got to write a note (anon) to the couples, which was a nice touch.

I also had to go through counselling too, to ensure I knew exactly what I was doing.

I think I visited hospital 3/4 times, I had to take my youngest with me a couple of times, but that was no issue.

Good luck, I have no regrets.

[LHReturns]

Needastrongone - it is an enormous thing to go through physically to help other people. I am so grateful that there are mothers like you out there.

[needastrongone]

Ahhh, but I didn't have the emotional stress of going through all that, then hoping against hope there would be a successful outcome. That's much worse. I am no saint, I really am not. I only endured a month of physical inconvenience, compared to the years of mental anguish of wanted a child but not being able to have one. That's way tougher.

Probably sound like an idiot now

[needastrongone]

*wanting

[Sewingbeatshousework]

Thank you all - but is it selfless when I get a buzz from going a good deed? Like Needastrongone said I have 2 healthy (and gorgeous & clever) children and my heart hurts when I think of what I would be missing out on if I couldn't conceive, which is why I feel I should do my best to help someone who is in that situation.

Needastrongone - were the injections painful? Also how bad was the actual harvesting of the eggs? I've read it "should" be just uncomfortable rather than painful.

Just so I know what to prepare for. It feels like a waste not taking eggs after 33 years old though 😕

[RNBrie]

I donated three years ago. Nothing was painful, they sedate you for the egg collection and I don't remember a thing about it. I wasn't even sore afterwards, just went home and had a cup of tea!

My cycle was synced with the recipient and then 10 days of drugs to stimulate follicles. It was a 6 week commitment from the start of syncing our cycles to going back for the follow up after egg collection. Maybe 5 trips to the clinic in total.

[MrsDarcy4092]

We're going to be starting Icsi due to make factor infertility. My fertility is good. This has been such an awful journey that I feel if I can help another family have a baby who are also struggling to conceive I should. So I'm considering donating eggs during my cycle- does anyone know the criteria to be eligible? Thanks

[Sewingbeatshousework]

Mrsdarcy I think it depends on what clinic you work with. Some places say under 29, the one I'm looking at is up until 34th birthday. BMI under 29/30, non smoker, non drug user, physically healthy are some of them. My asthma was highlighted as an issue but as its "mild" I should be ok. You'd be best to google becoming an egg donor in your region - or contacting your local hospitals fertility clinic and they can give you details of who to speak to 😊

[ncayley115]

Please do it. I have a beautiful 18 month old boy via egg donation. I have lots of eggs etc but wanted to avoid passing on an undiagnosed genetic condition that consultants said would be a 50/50 chance. Our egg donor was from Spain and we had the e/t in Spain so he cannot trace the donor. That's something you might want to consider - if a person turn up in 18 yrs on your doorstep.... But if you are able to, please please do donate x

[Sewingbeatshousework]

That must've been a hard decision ncayley. The prospect of someone turning up 18 years later doesn't upset me or dh, most people will be naturally be curious about that.