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Some frequently asked questions about Donor Egg Cycles: How do I know if I will be chosen as a donor? The process of selection as a donor is varied and is made by each recipient that is currently active in the program. Every five weeks a list of the donors available will go out to each active recipient. They will consider their choice with many particulars in mind that will vary from recipient to recipient. The donor list will outline age, infertility type, height, weight, hair color, eye color, build, complexion, ethnicity, education, occupation, blood type, previous pregnancy, previous IVF, medical background for donor and family. If a donor is not selected on a list she will automatically go out on the next list. How long will it take to be matched with a donor? As soon as you make application to the program and pay your $400.00 non-refundable application fee as a recipient you are given a number that will denote your seniority in the program. Every five weeks a list of the available donors is mailed to all recipients with a deadline date of response. At the end of the deadline your selection is entered into the computer and a list of choices is generated with the selections of donors by number going to the first recipient on the list and so forth. For example, the recipient in the program may have as her first selection a donor that other recipients have also. The first recipient will be given the choice of this donor and all later recipients may receive other choices or none at all. You will automatically receive the next list of available donors if you are not matched unless you notify us that you would like to change your status to inactive. In most cases recipients are usually matched within two to four months of joining the program but it may be longer depending on how selection you are. What if I would like to freeze my eggs to use at a later time? Freezing eggs is not an option at this time with the technology available at our center. It is only possible to freeze embryos which are fertilized eggs. If I have had a tubal ligation can I still be a candidate to be a donor and do an IVF cycle? Having your fallopian tubes is not a necessity for doing IVF. Since the eggs are aspirated from the ovaries and fertilized outside the body the fallopian tubes are not necessary for fertilization to happen. Can I choose the sex of the child I will have while doing an IVF cycle? There is technology that can increase your chances of having a boy or a girl but you should know that it only increases your chances slightly and it should be realized that you may still have a child of either sex. What if I need my egg retrieval on a holiday or weekend? We do IVF procedures when necessary, even on holidays and weekends. How do I know if I need ICSI for my eggs? There are many reasons why women will need to have the ICSI procedure done to help fertilize their eggs. ICSI stands for Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection, where a single sperm is selected and injected into the cytoplasm of the egg to hopefully fertilize the egg and it is most often done in the case of male factor infertility. The need for ICSI may be able to be determined after the Semen Analysis is complete but there are often times when this will not be determined until the day of the egg retrieval depending on the semen specimen. The embryologist will determine and discuss this need on the day of the egg retrieval if something unusual happens with the specimen the day of the retrieval but it is often determined by the physician after reviewing the semen analysis after the initial consult. If I had the Hysterosalpingogram (the X-Ray of the uterus and tubes) done before, do I need to repeat it? No, not unless the test was done two years prior or you had a surgical procedure since your last HSPG. We must review the HSPG films if they were done at an outside facility. If my partner had a vasectomy can I still do IVF? Performing an egg retrieval and a sperm aspiration is the only way that you will possibly conceive after your partner has a vasectomy. You will need to consult with a urologist to have your options outlined as well as consult with us about you starting a cycle. We will provide you with the name of a local urologist who we will schedule with to be here for the day of your egg retrieval. The aspiration is performed first, then when it is determined that adequate sperm has been aspirated we will perform your egg retrieval. It is not an absolute guarantee that fertilization will occur with sperm that has been aspirated and you must perform the ICSI procedure for this to happen. If I have someone I know to donate eggs for me, can I use her instead of a donor in the program? Yes, you can use a donor of your choice with the costs of the program the same except that you would not be paying for her to have a fresh transfer, if she is giving all the eggs to you. It is also permissible for recipients to bring their own donors to the program who would also like to conceive. If I donate my eggs is my IVF procedure free of charge? Your IVF cycle including the medications up to the time of the retrieval and your anesthesia is paid for by the recipient. You will be required to pay for your assisted hatching, sperm freezing and freezing of any embryos left over after the fresh transfer. This amount totals $850.00. You are also responsible for your own pretesting and your blood and ultrasound testing during the cycle. This cost will be dependent on your personal insurance situation. How will I know if I need Assisted Hatching? Assisted Hatching is a technique that was developed to increase the implantation rate of the embryo. A number of studies have suggested that human embryos fertilized in-vitro lack the ability To "hatch" out of the embryo covering (zona pellucida). On the day of the embryo transfer, the Embryologist evaluates the embryos to determine if assisted hatching is appropriate for their embryos. We have been performing assisted hatching on most patients routinely but this should be discussed with a physician if there are any concerns. We will also perform assisted hatching for patients using cryopreserved embryos. The Cooper Center for IVF was the first to publish data indicating an improved pregnancy rate utilizing cryopreserved hatched embryos. Because I live a distance from the office, can my preliminary testing be done at my doctor’s office? Although we prefer that you have your preliminary testing done in the office the day you have your initial IVF consult and mock transfer, it is permissible to make other arrangements can be made if necessary. What about my testing while I am doing my IVF cycle? You may also have your testing done by your local physician or laboratory as needed. There is an out of town management fee of $240.00 in addition to other fees and it is absolutely necessary to have results of these tests available and faxed to us the same day. What do I do when I have my blood and ultrasound done to make sure I get a call back from an IVF Nurse? Always make sure you fill out a call back sheet even when having blood and ultrasounds done at our facility. It is especially important when having outside blood work and ultrasound to call the NJ office at 856-751-5575 and inform the receptionist that you have had outside monitoring done and will need a call back from an IVF Nurse. If this is not done you may not receive a call back with your instructions. How do the eggs get split at the time of the egg retrieval? At the time of the egg retrieval the recipient will receive the first egg, the donor egg two, the recipient egg three and so on. After the procedure is completed the embryologist will examine the eggs to make sure that the initial split will give each patient a fair amount of equally mature eggs, etc. If it is determined that the split needs to be adjusted this will happen by the decision of the embryologist. If two recipients are sharing the eggs from a compensated donor then the primary recipient receives egg number one and the secondary recipient receives egg number two and so on. If it is determined that the split needs to be adjusted this will happen by the decision of the embryologist. If any assistance is needed to clarify instructions, answer questions, review protocols, or to provide additional information you may call Fran Fox, RN, Donor Egg Program Coordinator at 856-751-5575 or leave a message on the voice mail at 856-751-5576. |
