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Conceiving past 35 often feels like playing against a stacked deck of cards. Women’s ovaries hold between 2-4 million eggs at birth, but egg quality continuously deteriorates with age. Out of the 300 or so that mature during her lifetime, only a small fraction are viable for fertilization. For women having trouble getting pregnant, exploring egg donation may be an infertility solution – and tip the odds ever more in your favor.
Of course, it’s important to note that the donor egg IVF procedure involves a lot of preparation, including physiological, psychological, and legal concerns.
Dealing with the Donor Egg Decision
Coming to terms with the fact that your child won’t share a genetic connection with you is a very important step of the donor egg process. Women deciding to use donor egg IVF often seek professional guidance to help them through the inevitable emotional rollercoaster. Counseling is especially important for those who have already experienced unsuccessful fertility treatments.
Feelings of anger, powerlessness, despair, and depression are typical responses to finding out that your eggs aren’t viable for pregnancy. Dealing with these emotions in a safe, emotionally-supportive environment is crucial to preventing undue stress during this time.
First Round: At the Fertility Clinic
The first step of donor egg IVF is making the appointment at your fertility clinic. There, you are interviewed by a fertility specialist and donor coordinator who introduces you to the overall process.
After your initial meeting, you will undergo a series of tests to determine your general reproductive health and if your uterus is able to carry a pregnancy to term. Once established, you may start the exciting task of choosing a donor.
Donor Selection
Choosing a suitable donor can sometimes be the hardest step in the entire process. The donor can be someone close or related to you, or you can choose an anonymous donor from an online donor database.
If you plan to do a fresh donor egg cycle, the donor must be local to your area, as well as available at a time that’s suitable for you. Your menstrual cycles must be carefully synced before the transfer can occur.
If pursuing a frozen donor egg cycle, the donor pool is much larger, as you have the opportunity to select donors from across the country, whose eggs have already been frozen and are ready when you are. You can choose your donor based on any characteristics important to you – physical qualities, medical history, education, and profession are just a few examples.
Fresh or Frozen Donor Egg?
Fresh donor egg cycles do offer marginally better success rates than frozen – however, all costs, including personal and donor medications, travel expenses, unexpected cancellation, and obtaining legal documentation fall upon the egg recipient. You must arrange with a lawyer to draft a contract regarding the donor’s future involvement in your child’s life.
In comparison, frozen donor egg cycles have similar success to fresh cycles and are far more affordable. All expenses are included in your price quote. Frozen donor egg cycles are not only cost-effective, but more time-effective, as well. Regarding donor rights, your egg bank ensures all legal documentation is properly signed and sound – at no added cost to you.
Second Round: The Implantation Process
While similar in nature, the implantation process ultimately depends on the type of donor cycle selected.
In fresh donor egg cycles, both donor and recipient undergo hormone therapy to synchronize cycles. This step can be difficult to achieve, as precision is paramount and unexpected events may delay synchronization. Once your cycles are synced, the fresh eggs collected from your donor are fertilized with your partner’s (or sperm donor’s) semen. Then, during a simple outpatient procedure, the fertilized eggs are implanted into your uterus via a thin catheter.
A frozen donor egg cycle is much simpler, as it doesn’t require egg donor involvement at all. Once you’ve chosen your perfect donor, their eggs are retrieved from storage and delivered to your fertility clinic within a few weeks. There, they are thawed and fertilized; after three to five days, your doctor chooses one to two embryos to implant inside your uterus via the same thin catheter method. A rest period of about two weeks follows before you may know you’re pregnant with certainty.
The Final Round: The Road to Parenthood
Anxiety, hopefulness, eagerness, and excitement are just a few emotions experienced during the two weeks after embryo implantation. However, many women continue seeking professional counseling throughout the process to ensure psychological and emotional well-being.
After your two-week wait is over, you return to your fertility clinic and are given a simple hCG-hormone blood test to confirm your pregnancy.
Beating Your Infertility Odds
When life deals you an unfair hand in fertility, yet your desire to have a child and start a family transcends all bounds – it’s up to you to decide if donor egg IVF is truly the ‘best hand’ for you. Experience the endless joy of feeling your little one kick and hiccup within you – it makes every chance worth taking!