How egg donation works miracles
Our Virginia egg donor program uses highly qualified egg donors and research-supported methods to promote the best possible outcomes for donors and hopeful parents. Donor eggs help many men and women achieve pregnancy when it would not otherwise be possible.
How egg donation works
To ensure donor health, we only accept egg donors who match strict health guidelines and pass a comprehensive screening process. The donation process may take up to three months. Here’s how egg donation works at our Virginia egg donor program:
- Online donor application form. This form gathers basic contact information and ensures that potential donors match essential health requirements for donation.
- Comprehensive online donor application. If we determine that a potential donor may be a good match, we will email her more information and a comprehensive health questionnaire to complete and return.
- Initial consultation and follow-up visits. Once we approve a potential donor’s comprehensive health questionnaire, we bring her into the office to discuss the donation process with our nurse coordinator. Our coordinator will also schedule physical and psychological evaluations and genetic testing. Because some of these tests need to occur at different stages in the donor’s menstrual cycle, they may require several visits to complete.
- Donor selection. Hopeful parents visiting our fertility center also learn how egg donation works. If they decide to use an egg donor, we provide them with non-identifying information about the donors who have qualified for our program. The hopeful parents anonymously choose the donor who they feel is the best match for their family.
- Egg preparation. We use birth control pills to synchronize the menstrual cycle of the hopeful mother with the chosen egg donor. Then, we give the egg donor injectable medications that will cause her ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs. We will monitor her throughout this process to make sure she stays healthy and that the eggs are maturing.
- Egg retrieval. When the eggs are mature, our providers retrieve them from the donor’s ovaries while she is under IV sedation. Our providers use a transvaginal ultrasound to guide a needle into the ovary and carefully remove the eggs. After egg retrieval, the embryologist combines them with sperm to fertilize them and watches for embryonic development. The fertility specialist will transfer one healthy embryo to the hopeful mother’s uterus at the appropriate time.
All the medical costs of donating eggs are covered by the hopeful parents. We also compensate egg donors for their time and sacrifice in helping others achieve their dream of a family.
Learn more and make a difference
Our Virginia egg donor program prioritizes the health and safety of everyone involved. Thanks to our high standards, we enjoy success rates above the national average. We are here to answer your questions about becoming an egg donor or receiving donated eggs. Contact our office.
