Become an Egg Donation Recipient
Information on Chicago Based Egg Donation
We ask every prospective egg donor to please review the following information. Your FCI nurse coordinator will contact you to review written information given at your initial FCI appointment, time frame for treatment and coordination process moving forward. Egg Donation is rather involved and requires great commitment not only to your recipient but also to the process.
Expectations
Arduous attention must be paid to medication schedules. Appointments are unfortunately not negotiable. Total commitment is needed. If you feel you cannot fulfill the obligations of egg donation, please do not commit. Cancellation by an egg donor after a formal match to a recipient or start of medication should be avoided.
Testing
Donors must provide a normal Pap smear dated within one year. All donors are tested for the following: Gonorrhea/Chlamydia (cervical cultures), Blood group and RH, CBC, RPR, Hepatitis B Surface Antigen, Hepatitis B Core Antibody, Hepatitis C Core Antibody, HIV1/HIV2, Cystic Fibrosis & West Nile Virus NAT. Additional FDA mandatory testing will be done at the first donor IVF appointment.
Birth control
Birth control pills are taken by the donor to synchronize her Cycle with her recipient. All donors are required to be on a schedule of birth control pills. Donor and recipient do not necessarily start at the same time, but they must end at the same time. If you are on birth control pills, birth control patches, or birth control Nuvaring continue as normal and tell your egg donor coordinator.
Consent
All donors, anonymous or known, must have on file the FCI “Consent to Donate Oocytes”. This consent must be signed, dated and notarized. The egg donor coordinator will provide necessary paperwork (FDA risk factor questionnaire & History profile form). All known donors require legal representation which cannot be waived. FCI can provide a list of attorneys who specialize in reproductive law. Anonymous donors: Please contact your agency to confirm legal agreement is completed BEFORE medications are started.
Injections
You will be instructed how to, and are required to, self inject carefully prescribed fertility drugs daily until the time of egg harvesting : Lupron or Ganirelix Acetate to quiet your hormonal environment; Follistim, Menopur, Luveris, Bravelle, Low Dose HCG or Gonal-F to stimulate your ovaries to produce eggs, HCG 10,000 units or Ovidrel 250 mcg for the final maturation process of the eggs.
Lupron Start
Lupron is an injection that will quiet your ovaries before Stimulation of Ovulation. Lupron begins on the last day of active birth control. You will inject Lupron daily until your retrieval to prevent premature ovulation. Your IVF Nurse will set forth your continuing Lupron schedule at your base-line appointment. Donor should abstain from sexual intercourse from the start of Lupron until the first normal period after Egg Retrieval. Minimally a condom should be used to prevent unwanted pregnancy. You must refrain from alcohol and tobacco completely until after egg retrieval. Caffeine consumption should be limited (one cup per day).
Baseline appointment at IVF River North (first appointment)
Your baseline appointment will be scheduled at IVF River North and will be 7-10 days after Lupron start. You will have a Vaginal Ultrasound, pregnancy test , estradiol level, FDA tests (blood test and urine or vaginal culture) and medication/ injection teach. Your IVF nurse will instruct you on injections and medication schedule.
Follicle Stimulating Hormone
FSH (Gonal-F, Bravelle or Follistim) are state of the art fertility drugs that will cause you to produce multiple eggs. These drugs are generally started 5-7 days after your baseline appointment. You are required to self inject daily prescribed doses. Your ovarian response will be monitored at every appointment. Once FSH injection is started you will be required to be present at interval early morning appointments, 7-9:30 am. that may include Saturday and Sunday. Appointments are unfortunately not negotiable and will always include a blood test and vaginal Ultrasound.
HCG
Your final injection will be exactly timed about 34-36 hours before your retrieval and therefore must be injected at the exact time instructed by the IVF nurse. This is the final maturation process for the eggs. Your HCG medication may be called Ovidrel.
Day of aspiration or egg retrieval
This is an invasive procedure that requires sedation. You will need to be discharged from the IVF center to a responsible adult; you cannot drive the day of your egg retrieval procedure. After discharge, you may take over the counter pain medication for discomfort. For persistent or severe pain, excessive or persistent vaginal bleeding, weight gain of 2 or more pounds per day or worsening abdominal bloating page the MD on call at (312) 222-8230 and tell your physician you are an egg donor. Proceed to the nearest emergency room if you are in respiratory distress or severe pain: Please inform the ER that you are an egg donor for FCI.
Protecting your ovaries
To protect your ovaries from injury, limit your exercise to non-strenuous, low impact activities. This includes swimming, walking at less than 5 miles per hour, and yoga. If you are doing yoga, you must avoid inversion poses. Vigorous exercise such as running, elliptical machine, Stairmaster, spinning, and step aerobics classes must be avoided. When in doubt, refrain from activity. Your ovaries are at risk for torsion, a serious condition where the ovary can twist and cut off its own blood supply. Ovarian torsion can lead to loss of an ovary. If you experience severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or fevers you must page the MD on call or go to the closest emergency room. The chances of developing torsion can be minimized by avoiding both vigorous exercise and sexual intercourse.
