How to become an egg donor?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Today we will talk about what is oocyte donation. We will also touch on the topic of in vitro fertilization.

Oocyte donation is the donation of eggs from a he althy woman to couples who cannot have children for he alth reasons. Delivery of material can be free of charge. Also, sometimes such an action is rewarded.

What is the essence of oocyte donation?

Before you become an egg donor, you need to familiarize yourself with the essence of this procedure. You should also find out why it is carried out, what are the indications and consequences.

In every he althy woman, nature has a certain number of eggs. Every month, one or two cells mature and come out of the ovaries. If fertilization does not occur, then the egg leaves the body through menstruation.

A woman's ovaries contain about 400,000 oocytes. Of these, an egg matures every month. Only 400 oocytes turn into an egg during the entire reproductive period of a woman.

Every month, a few oocytes prepare to become an egg. But only one or two of them ripen, sometimes three. The development of the egg ends and ovulation occurs. During this period, the woman's body is ready forfertilization. Immature oocytes atrophy.

Egg transfer to another woman comes from body reserves that will not be used. It turns out that a woman donates oocytes, which in her body would never turn into an egg.

It is impossible to determine in advance who the future child will be - a boy or a girl - by the egg. Therefore, every donation is unpredictable.

The period of pregnancy is a rather intimate moment in which a special bond is established between mother and child. Moreover, it consists not only in the transfer of nutrients to the fetus, but also in the emotional and mental connection of the mother and the future little new person.

Who needs donor eggs?

For medical reasons, some women need donated eggs to conceive a child, as they cannot conceive naturally. There are many reasons for this.

There are indicators by which a woman cannot get pregnant on her own. It is possible that the body does not produce eggs, or they have some kind of pathology. Therefore, she cannot conceive a child on her own.

Reasons for the absence of eggs in the female body

The main reason is early menopause. It can come on 15 or 20 years earlier than the usual age period. In this case, even a young woman cannot become pregnant. Therefore, donor eggs are the only way for such women to have children.

There are statistics that show that premature menopause occurs in 5% of the female population.

It happens that, for medical reasons, some ladies have their ovaries removed. Then they can't get pregnant with their eggs either.

The reasons for the inability to conceive a child through their eggs can also be attributed to:

1. Hormonal changes in oocytes, violation of the set of chromosomes. In such cases, it is not recommended to have a child using your cells.
2. The presence of hereditary diseases that can pass from mother to child.

Who can donate?

Any he althy woman of reproductive age can become a donor. As a rule, the age is required to be between 18 and 35 years. Also, naturally, a woman should have a desire.

If a girl decides to become a donor, then she should know that there is a policy of anonymity. That is, the recipient does not know about the donor, and vice versa. A relative or friend of the expectant mother can act as a donor.

How are eligible women identified and where to become an egg donor?

First of all, those donors who are suitable for blood type and Rh factor are allocated. Next, it is determined what kind of future parents would like to see their child, what height, eye color and hair color should he have.

Before you become an egg donor, you should be familiar with the fact that all women undergo a medical examination. It includes genetic analysis, predisposition to any pathologies, and more.

What does it take to become an egg donor?

1. A woman will need a certificate from a psychiatrist about her state of he alth. This document is issued at the district clinic at the place of stay.
2. You also need to provide the results of fluorography.

Conditions

Basic conditions for determining whether you can become an egg donor:

1. The age of the woman is from 18 to 35 years. She must be of average height and weight.
2. A person must be he althy mentally and physically. In the body of a woman who is going to become a donor, there should not be any chronic diseases, including gynecological ones.
3. No striking phenotypic traits allowed.
4. If a woman has already acted as a donor, then a certain period of time must pass from the moment of the last one. The minimum is 4 months.

Where can I become an egg donor? in a specialized medical facility. As a rule, a free medical examination of a woman is carried out in a clinic that collects oocytes. It also provides advice on how to become an egg donor. Further, if a woman meets all the requirements, a contract is signed with her.

A girl should know that in order to take oocytes from her, her body will be stimulated.

Procedure

How does egg donation work?

1. At the beginning of the cycle, namely on the 2nd or 3rd day, a woman needs to come to the clinic, where the process of taking oocytes will be carried out. The donor should go to a reproductive specialist.
2. The doctor prescribes the necessary examination to prepare for donation. Namely, the delivery of the necessary tests. This examination lasts approximately 14 days.
3. Next, you need to synchronize the menstrual cycles of the donor and recipient.
4. The next step is to stimulate the woman's body with hormones. This procedure is necessary in order for several eggs to mature, and not one or two. During this period, in order to track the growth of follicles, it is necessary to visit a reproductive specialist. The control of egg maturation is carried out through monitoring. During the period of cell maturation, an important point is the implementation of all the doctor's recommendations. At the same time, you need to take the drugs at the strictly appointed time, do not miss the dose.
5. When the follicles mature, the donor is scheduled for a puncture procedure. It is performed under anesthesia. Lasts a short time, about 15 minutes.
6. After the eggs are removed from the donor's body, they are fertilized with the sperm of the patient's husband. Then they are transferred to the uterus of the expectant mother. Usually, two or three embryos are obtained from several eggs. If there are more, then you can leave it just in case. For example, if this IVF is unsuccessful. There is a possibility that the embryos may not take root in the uterus of the expectant mother. For storage, embryos are cryopreserved and left at the clinic.

Consequences

What's wrong with becoming an egg donor? We will now consider the consequences of this medical intervention.

Be aware that some clinics offer donor fees. Its size may vary. But, as a rule, the average amount is 50,000 rubles. There are also special programs that offer women to become a donor for free. In this way, they can help a childless couple achieve their dream of having a baby.

The woman who said to herself: "I will become an egg donor!" - you need to know that hormonal stimulation of the body can be harmful to he alth. Therefore, before deciding to donate, you should consult a doctor. He, after conducting research, will accurately answer whether it is possible to become an egg donor or not. Perhaps he will say that it is better to refuse. Since taking funds can cause any pathology.

It should be remembered that stimulating the body with hormones is a risk for the development of any disease. Even a he althy woman, who is suitable for donation based on the results of the examination, can get a serious illness due to the use of hormonal drugs. For example, cancer. Therefore, it is worth seriously considering whether to decide on this procedure or not.

Conclusion

Now you know how to become an egg donor, what you need for this. We also considered the consequences of the procedure. The decision is yours.