Information for Donor Oocyte
Recipients
Who needs donor oocytes
Risks to the recipient
Non-anonymous egg donors
Donor oocyte and male factor infertility
Tests conducted prior to embryo transfer
Selection of Donors by the Recipients
Fertilization and Embryo Transfer
Egg splitting or sharing a donor
"The Infertility & IVF Center is committed to providing patients facing
infertility problems with all advanced reproductive technologies available to help them
achieve a pregnancy. We understand that our patients may not want to waste any time before
proceeding with their treatment cycles. Therefore, we have developed our program with a
great deal of flexibility to dispense immediate, courteous, and competent service. We are
experienced in minimizing inconveniences and time away from home or work for most of our
patients", says Dr. Ronald P. Wilbois, Medical Director.
Information for Donor Oocyte Recipients.
Who needs donor oocytes.
You may be a candidate for our Donor Oocyte Program if you ...
1. Cannot provide your own eggs due to advanced maternal age. As a woman’s age
increases, her ability to get pregnant decreases dramatically over the age of 35. This is
due mainly to lower oocyte quality and reduced number of eggs. Therefore, oocytes from
younger women (donors) are more likely to produce a successful pregnancy and give the
recipient the joy of carrying and delivering a child.
2. Are diagnosed with premature ovarian failure. These are women who chronologically
are young but her ovaries, for a variety of reasons, have entered menopause at an early
age.
3. Are diagnosed with Occult Ovarian Failure. These are women who still have regular
periods but whose oocytes are unable to producing a pregnancy.
4. Are diagnosed with anti-ovarian antibodies and have had previous IVF failures.
5. Have experienced unexplained autologous IVF cycle failures.
6. Have genetic contraindications for using your own eggs. Women who have either a
genetic condition or are carriers for a disease and who do not wish to pass the problem to
her offspring may use oocyte donation to eliminate that risk.
Potential risks to the recipient.
Complications due to advanced maternal age and the possibility of a multiple pregnancy
are the more common risks that recipients may face. The risk of high order pregnancies may
be minimized by transferring a reduced number of embryos (usually less than 3). There is a
higher chance of having complications as the age of the pregnant woman increases. Healthy
older women have a decreased risk for complicated pregnancies, when compared with other
women of the same age, but the level of risk is still above that seen at younger ages.
High blood pressure and diabetes are the most commonly observed complications. Slowed
intrauterine fetal growth, placenta previa, and premature delivery are other complications
observed but less common. For the above reasons, all recipients over the age of 40 must
have a complete medical evaluation before being accepted in the Donor Oocyte Program.
Can I have a Non-anonymous egg donor?
Yes. We also accept recipients who provide their own non-anonymous egg donors. However,
there should be legal agreements drawn up by an attorney before this route would be
considered. The known donor must pass the donor oocyte screening tests in place at our
facility. If the donor is found unsuitable, we would advise you.
In cases of Male Infertility?
The partner’s semen is also evaluated for its ability to fertilize. If it is
determined that a potential male factor exists, donor egg with ICSI (Intra-Cytoplasmic
Sperm Injection) is available. If the severity of the male factor is such
that there is virtually no sperm present in the ejaculate, we can extract the sperm from
the epididymis or testicles. It is only necessary to collect a few sperm to fertilize the
oocytes by ICSI. Please, review the information about these procedures if you wish.
(ICSI - PESA/TESA)
Are there any other tests conducted prior to
embryo transfer?
Sometimes, you will need to undergo a mock cycle prior to the real donor oocyte cycle.
The mock cycle involves taking hormones to mimic the natural ovarian cycle. This will help
determine the response of your body in preparing the endometrial lining, necessary for
embryo development and implantation. At the end of this mock cycle, an endometrial biopsy,
ultrasound and blood sample will be taken to evaluate the adequacy of your response.
Selection of Donors by the Recipients.
The recipients are given a list of donors from which they select one whom they find
suitable. All available donors have completed and passed all screening procedures. You
will select a fully screened donor based on your (the recipient’s) physical
characteristics, and any additional requirements you have expressed to us. A number of
donors will be proposed to you from which you can make your selection. Therefore, we will
provide you with information about the physical, genetic and other pertinent
characteristics of our egg donors. Those traits include: age, blood type, height, weight,
hair color and type, eye color, body build, ethnic background, medical illnesses, family
illnesses, and number of children that they have delivered. The donor’s identity will
not be revealed to you. However, we will tell you many things about the donor. This is
important because it will enable you to make an informed choice about the appropriateness
of the proposed egg donor and, if you get pregnant, it will serve as a record about the
genetic background of your child(ren)
Fertilization and Embryo Transfer.
The Infertility & IVF Center will coordinate the cycles so a fresh embryo
transfer can be performed. In some cases, a frozen embryo transfer may be preferred. All
normal eggs produced by a single donor are inseminated; all embryos so produced belong to
the recipient couple. The embryos are transferred on days 3 or 5 after oocyte collection.
The number of embryos selected for fresh transfer depends upon their quality. The number
of embryos transferred seeks to maximize the pregnancy rate without increasing
considerably the probability of a multiple pregnancy. Any additional embryos are frozen.
These embryos can be used for subsequent attempts to become pregnant, whether or not the
fresh transfer is successful.
Can two recipients share the same donor?
Yes. This is a method one may choose when the recipients’ funds are limited. You
must agree to be the primary or secondary recipient before the cycle is started. It is not
guaranteed that there will be surplus eggs in the "split cycle" for the
secondary recipient. There may only be enough eggs for the primary recipient who must then
bear the full cost of the procedure.
Need more information or assistance?
Simply dial (636)-CALL-IVF or toll free 1-877-IVF-BABY and ask for more
information or schedule an appointment for a "Donor Egg Consultation." Our staff
will provide you with the information you need.