This is a sponsored guest post.
Choosing to use donor eggs often comes after multiple unsuccessful traditional IVF attempts.
You may be exploring egg donation because the other option you have – adoption – won’t allow you to carry and give birth to your child.
But what does the donor egg IVF process entail, and is it the right choice for you and your family?
If you’re having fertility problems and you’ve been recommended to look into donor eggs, please see below for answers to some frequently asked questions.
Who Needs Donor Eggs?
Many different women need donor eggs for various reasons. This includes both women who still menstruate monthly and those nearing menopause with sporadic monthly cycles.
Donor eggs may be a viable option for those who’ve had their ovaries removed, are producing poor quality or too few eggs, are pre-or-post-menopausal, or have ovarian damage from cancer treatments.
Often, women choose donor eggs if they’ve unsuccessfully tried various IVF treatments and fertility drugs, and are still searching for a natural experience allowing them to give birth to their child.
Alternatively, if you have an inherited disorder or condition, donor eggs eliminate the risk of passing it along to your baby.
How Do You Find a Suitable Donor?
Thankfully, in the US there are plenty of fresh and frozen egg donors and ample opportunity to find the ultimate donor for your needs.
If using frozen donated eggs from an egg bank, you are provided with a national pool of potential candidates you can search through using various criteria, including age, hair color, eye color, academic achievements, personality traits, hobbies, body type, and career ambitions.
This information allows you to Find a Egg Donor that either resembles yourself or possesses the characteristics you’d like your son or daughter to have.
Whether fresh or frozen, all donors undergo rigorous testing. These tests check for genetic conditions, physical problems, and psychological issues. Every donor is given a clean bill of health before they’re approved to donate.
Can You Use Your Own Egg Donor?
Absolutely!
You can recruit an egg donor you know like a sibling, close relative, or friend.
When opting for a family member, your family’s genes are passed on to your child.
However, it’s important to consider the long-term impact this decision may have on your family and relationships.
If you’re choosing a family member or friend, what happens if the donor doesn’t want to remain anonymous (unlike a donor from a bank, who legally hands over their rights to the donated eggs)?
How will you feel if your child wants to develop a relationship with this friend or family member once they know their heritage?
Working through these questions is imperative when deciding who your egg donor will be.
How Does the Egg Donation Process Work?
The treatment for egg donation depends on whether you’re using fresh or frozen donor eggs.
Fresh donor eggs require the synchronization of your cycle and your donor’s, while frozen donor eggs are ready to use once your uterus is prepared for implantation.
The woman donating her eggs takes fertility drugs to boost her egg production, while you’ll receive hormone replacement therapy preparing your uterus for the embryo transfer.
After collecting the donor’s eggs (or thawing them if using frozen), they’re fertilized with sperm and placed into an incubator to mature. An embryo will be transferred to your uterus after 3-5 days.
Will I Need Counseling Throughout the Process?
Naturally, you’ll experience a whole host of feelings, from apprehension to sheer exhilaration. A counselor can help you and your partner process these feelings as you go through treatment, pregnancy, and life after you’ve given birth.
Also, counselors may provide a helping hand when you’re trying to decide whether egg donation should be the next step in your ambition for a dream family.
Fulfill Your Dream of Motherhood
Initial reservations about using egg donation are common, yet donor egg remains a popular choice for many couples with infertility problems.
Why?
Because it offers the chance to carry, nurture, and give birth to your own child – a natural experience that helps fulfill your dream of motherhood and creates an unbreakable bond with your child.
