Who is a candidate for Donor Eggs with an IVF cycle?
Donor Oocytes
We believe the donor oocyte
program at TFC is one of the best in the country.
This statement is supported not only by our
continuously exceptional pregnancy rates, but also
by the consistently rave reviews we receive from
recipient couples concerning the quality of the
young women in our donor pool. By predominantly
utilizing the services of Austin residents rather
than agency acquired donors, we are able to
hand-select a group of diverse, intelligent women
who receive care coordinated for them individually
by the team at TFC, while saving the recipient
couples significant agency and travel-related
expenses. This approach leads to satisfied,
compliant, and successful donors.
How do you know if oocyte
donation is right for you?
Oocyte donation is often
recommended for couples when the female partner is
older than 40, is a poor responder to ovulation
induction medications, has evidence of diminished
ovarian reserve, or is the carrier of a genetic
condition. For some infertile couples, egg donation
represents the only real chance for parenthood and
the ability to experience the entire pregnancy
process from conception to delivery. Oocyte donors
can either be designated or anonymous.
The first step to becoming a
potential donor oocyte recipient is to consult with
your physician. He or she will complete your
physical and medical assessment and have you meet
with one of the nurses in the donor oocyte
department. Your nurse will help you start the
process of donor selection and discuss the steps
involved in screening and preparation for your
cycle. Once you have selected your donor, either
designated or anonymous, and all of the screening
tests are completed for both of you, the nurse and
your physician will devise a coordinated treatment
plan that allows for the simultaneous preparation of
your uterus for implantation and the donor’s ovaries
for stimulation.
Once your uterus is optimally
prepared with hormones, the donor will undergo
retrieval of the oocytes to be fertilized with your
partner’s sperm. The resulting embryos are allowed
to undergo initial growth and development in the
laboratory until they are ready to be implanted in
your uterus. After the embryo transfer, you are
maintained on the supporting hormones until the
diagnosis of pregnancy is established. Once
pregnant, you will continue the hormones until the
10th to 12th week, when the placenta takes over. It
is important to note that the risks of miscarriage
and chromosomal abnormalities are related to the
donor’s age, not the recipient’s, so it is rarely
necessary to need additional genetic testing, such
as amniocentesis.
