What Happens When You Enroll in an Egg Donation Program
Countless women wish to conceive a child only to learn they are unable to do so naturally. There are a number of reasons this may be the case, but a woman in this situation will find she has other options. One option to consider is making use of an egg donor. Nevertheless, there must be donors available for this purpose. For those women who wish to help females who are unable to conceive naturally, becoming an egg donor is a good way to do so. What should a woman expect upon enrolling in a program of this type?
The Application
Before you can donate eggs, an application must be filled out. A person cannot simply walk into a center, state they wish to take part in the program and move forward with the process. Certain information must be shared in the paperwork, including the donor’s medical background, education, family history, physical characteristics, and more. However, the application is only the first step.
The Medical Exam
Reputable facilities wish to ensure the donor is in good physical health and won’t have any problems when taking part in the program. This protects not only the donor but the program itself. An ultrasound will be conducted as part of this exam along with a blood test. The center wants to make certain the potential donor has a healthy number of eggs and that her hormone levels are within the normal range. Donors shouldn’t be asked to pay for any part of this process, as they are providing a service for another family.
Orientation and/or Counseling
An egg donation program will require potential donors to take part in an orientation or counseling session or sessions. The goal of these meetings is to explain the process and to answer any questions she or her loved ones may have. This is also a time when the physician can have any questions answered that came up during the exam regarding the donor’s physical health. A mental health evaluation will be conducted at this time also to make certain the donation won’t do harm to the person taking part in the program.
Approval
Only when all parties feel comfortable with the process will a donor be approved. Upon approval, the donor information is then uploaded into the facility’s database where patients looking for an egg donor can view the information for each candidate. Be aware that approval as a donor does not mean a family or individual will select your application right away. In fact, some potential donors never get selected. Others, however, have a number of families that wish to request their eggs. Donors need to understand how many eggs that are permitted to share as part of this process.
The Actual Donation
The actual donation process consists of two stages. First, the donor’s system must be stimulated to produce multiple eggs simultaneously. Doing so allows for more eggs to be retrieved during the removal or second stage of the process. Every donor should speak to her doctor to ensure she understands what is involved in this process and what she should expect before, during and after the procedure.
Being an egg donor can be very rewarding. Nevertheless, this is not an easy decision for any woman to make. Before proceeding, make certain you understand all that is involved and have all questions answered. When you do so, you’ll find that you feel more comfortable with your decision regardless of what it may ultimately be.
