Patient Information & Instructions
The Donor Oocyte (egg) Program was established in 1988 to broaden the potential for pregnancy to patients who otherwise could not conceive with the help of our unique program. Donation of oocytes is an option for those IVF participants in need of some financial assistance. By donating half of the recovered eggs during an IVF cycle, the donor has the opportunity to assist another infertile person or couple to achieve a pregnancy, as well as receive some financial assistance to cover the expense of IVF. The donor, in exchange for the sharing of her eggs, has the egg retrieval, anesthesia for the procedure, the embryo transfer, and the majority of necessary medications paid for by the recipient of the eggs. Those IVF patients wishing to donate eggs are selected anonymously by a patient who needs donor eggs, (a recipient). We cannot guarantee that all women wishing to be a donor will be selected. We also have some women who wish to donate all of the eggs retrieved during an IVF cycle for financial compensation. This is an option for these women, but again we cannot guarantee that all women wishing to participate in this manner will be selected.
Terry Jamison Nursing Coodinator Donor Egg Dept. Cooper Institute.
Terry explains what to expect when using the donor egg program at the Cooper Institute of Reproductive and Hormonal Disorders
The IVF cycle includes the ultrasound guided transvaginal retrieval, incubation, fertilization, and development of embryo(s), and transfer of embryo(s). Both donor and recipient are responsible for their own preliminary IVF testing. Recipients and their partner’s infectious bloods and cultures are updated once a year. Donor and their partner’s infectious bloods and cultures are updated every six months. Donors and Recipients are also responsible for their own blood work/ultrasounds for the cycle. If necessary, each party will be responsible for the cost of sperm washing, sperm donation, sperm freezing, cryopreservation of excess embryos and embryo storage costs.
The total number of oocytes will be equally divided between the donor and the recipient at the time of retrieval. If an odd number of oocytes are obtained, the recipient will receive the extra egg. For instance, if fifteen oocytes are obtained, the donor will keep seven and the recipient will retain eight oocytes. If less than six oocytes are obtained, the recipient will receive all of the eggs from that cycle. The recipient will then be financially responsible for another IVF cycle and medications for the donor. During the donor's next attempt at retrieval, the donor will retain the same number of oocytes as produced in her previous cycle where less than six oocytes were obtained. Any remaining oocytes will then be equally divided between the donor and the recipient, if requested by the recipient. A donor who has produced fewer eggs than expected has the right to keep all the eggs for herself. The recipient much be reimbursed for all of the medication costs. In the case of a compensated donor, and there are two recipients splitting the cycle of eggs retrieved, the recipient with seniority in the program will receive the extra egg if an odd number of eggs are retrieved.
On occasion it has become necessary to cancel a donor cycle when stimulation is inadequate after the maximum amount of gonadotrophin therapy is prescribed. The IVF physician will review the cycle and make the final determination based on many factors. Inadequate stimulation usually precludes a donor from participating in our program as an egg donor again. Both donor and recipient will be notified by the IVF staff that the cycle is canceled. The donor is obligated to return all unused medication to the recipient.
In the event the egg donor experiences ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and must freeze all of the embryos, the egg recipient will be responsible for an additional $1200.00 to cover the added expense of a frozen embryo transfer for the donor. In very rare instances it may become necessary to retrieve the eggs via an abdominal approach, instead of entering through the back of the vaginal wall. In the event it becomes necessary to use this approach there will be an additional charge of $500.00 to the recipient for this procedure. It is also recommended that all donors receive anesthesia for the egg retrieval as this will benefit both donor and recipient. When the donor experiences less discomfort and is more sedated during the procedure it becomes easier for the physician to retrieve all available eggs. There is an additional charge of $350.00 for the nurse anesthetist to administer anesthesia paid by the recipient for the procedure.
In the event a donor refuses to donate her oocytes in accordance to the procedure set forth above, the donor will then be responsible for the payment of all costs relating to the donor cycle. This includes the retrieval, incubation and fertilization, transfer, any medication provided by the recipient, plus the recipient's medication costs for the cycle. This payment must be made prior to the retrieval of oocytes. The recipient is relieved of any further obligation to the donor if the donor refuses to donate.
PRELIMINARY TESTING
This includes, but is not limited to, blood studies, cultures, IVF consult, mock transfer, hysterosalpingogram (HSG), baseline bloods, (day 2 or 3), injection instructions for medication administration, and financial consult. All testing (blood work and cultures), HSG and Mock transfer is to be completed prior to initiating an IVF cycle. If the results of any of the screening procedures are not satisfactory, the patient may be denied participation in the Program. This requirement is to maintain the health and safety of the participants in the In-Vitro Program. Please call the office, two weeks after the testing is complete, to confirm the results. You should contact the office where the testing was performed. Blood studies and cultures must be repeated for donors and their partners every six months and once per year for recipients and their partners. An appointment is necessary to have cultures, semen analysis, consults, hysterosalpingogram, and mock transfer.
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Female - Blood Studies
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Female - Blood Studies (Recipient)
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Male - Blood Studies
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| HIV, HbsAG, HcAb, RPR, Blood Type-RH, Rubella Antibody, CBC, Anti-Sperm Antibody, Chlamydia Ab |
HIV, HbsAG, HcAb, RPR, Blood Type-RH, CBC, APTT, Rubella Antibody |
HIV, HbsAG, HcAb, RPR, Chlamydia Ab, Blood Type-RH |
Cervical cultures for all female patients are required for GC, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma before beginning a cycle. Cultures may be done in any of our offices, Monday through Friday ONLY by appointment. Semen cultures and analysis must be completed prior to initiation of an IVF cycle. The semen analysis and cultures need to be scheduled with the Andrology department at any of our offices.
For women age 45 and over attempting to achieve a pregnancy the following consult and testing in addition to the above are required: Pre-conceptual consultation with a high risk OB/GYN; Medical clearance from family physician; EKG with Stress Test, PT, PTT, Chemistry panel including BUN, Creatinine, and Liver Function Studies, Fasting and 2 hr PP Glucose or Glucose Tolerance Test.
CLOMIPHENE CHALLENGE TEST
All donors wishing to participate in the donor egg program age 35 and over are required to undergo a Clomiphene Challenge Test prior to being a candidate for selection to recipients. This test consists of drawing the baseline bloods on day three for estradiol and FSH, followed by taking two clomiphene tablets of 50mg each on cycle days five through nine. The patient will then have blood tests repeated on day 10 for estradiol, FSH, and progesterone. This test in aimed at determining the patients egg reserve, which will allow us to select the most beneficial stimulation protocol for each patient.
THE EXPECTATION OF SUCCESS BY IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION
Your chance of becoming pregnant and delivering a healthy baby is dependent on many factors. The most significant of which is maternal age. Other factors that play a role are the exact cause of your infertility such as: male factor, ovulatory dysfunction, endometriosis, tubal factor, and habitual abortion. It's difficult to interpret the statistical information that many IVF centers release to the public. The average number of embryos we transfer per cycle is 3 or 4. At your request, we will provide you with our current pregnancy rates. This rate includes all patients regardless of age, cause of infertility, patients that have undergone multiple oocyte retrieval cycles, and patients that have been denied treatment by other programs. Unlike many other IVF centers, our policy is not to exclude any patient based on their age or history of infertility, excluding the donor egg program which must make age restrictions due to potential outcome of egg retrieval cycle. Despite the encouraging statistics, it must be emphasized that successful conception and childbirth for any couple cannot be guaranteed by the Cooper Center.
A PERSONAL NOTE
The process of In Vitro Fertilization can be psychologically stressful. Significant anxiety and disappointment may occur. A substantial commitment of time by the couple is needed. Some people have described the IVF experience as an emotional roller coaster. The IVF staff of physicians and nurses are well aware of the added stress and burden that the In Vitro process can sometimes create. For donor and recipient couples this stress may be more severe in some cases. It is therefore, strongly recommended for the donor and recipient participants that they obtain at the very least an initial consult with a therapist or counselor to discuss the many involved issues related to donating or receiving eggs. Please feel free to contact our office for referral to a professional that can be of assistance in this area.
If any assistance is needed to clarify instructions, answer questions, review protocols, or to provide additional information you may call Terri Jamison, RN, Donor Egg Program Coordinator at 856-810-7853 or e-mail at
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