Being a Donated Egg Recipient

Sometimes, a woman is unable to produce eggs or utilize her eggs in order to become pregnant. This may be because of early menopause, hormonal imbalances that cannot be corrected, or they have failed IVF using their own eggs. When this is the case, egg donation is a viable option to assist them in achieving pregnancy.

Egg donation can be expensive. It can also be an emotional experience, and it has a variable success rate, however the pregnancy rate is better than that normally achieved using In Vitro Fertilization and the woman's own eggs, which is approximately 35 percent.

The donated egg recipient goes through a specific process for the egg donation, including:

• screening for the appropriateness of receiving a donor egg
• finding a donor - the donor should be less than 35 years of age, without chronic health problems or genetic diseases, and should match most of your donor criteria, be it physical attributes, intelligence or creative gifts.
• compensating the donor - usually $4000-5000
• hormone therapy to prepare your uterus for the egg
• egg donation
• pregnancy testing to confirm pregnancy or lack thereof
• if positive, ongoing hormonal therapy for at least 2 months

You can receive your donated eggs from a friend or relative, or you can opt for an anonymous egg donor. Remember that this is a surgical procedure that can have potential risks and complications. Talk to your Fertility Specialist about being an Egg Recipient.