What is Egg Donation?

Egg donation is a process in which the eggs of a female donor are removed from the ovaries and fertilized in the laboratory with sperm from a male donor for use by another woman to help her get pregnant. This method is used for women who may have decreased egg quantity or quality or may have had cancer or other factors that make it difficult for them to become pregnant on their own. 

Egg donation may be an option for couples that have tried other methods of getting pregnant without success. In fact, the process of san diego egg donation takes from 6 to 8 weeks and there are several steps involved in the process. 

Here are the main steps involved in the process of egg donation.

• Screening

The first step is to undergo screening. An egg donor has to undergo several screening procedures to make sure that she is eligible to become a donor. The screening procedures include blood tests, physical examination, pelvic ultrasound, and an interview with the doctor for the assessment of mental health. In addition, the AMH levels of the donor are also checked to determine how many eggs the donor can produce.

• Pre-treatment

After the screening process is over, the donor has to undergo another round of testing, which includes tests of blood for infectious diseases and for other prescribed medications. In addition, certain lifestyle habits like smoking and drinking are also screened.

The donor also has to start taking birth control pills 3 weeks before the date of egg extraction. This is done to coordinate follicular growth and ensure that the eggs produced by the donor are healthy, mature, and strong.

• Hormone injections

During the egg donation procedure, the donor has to take hormonal injections. This is given in gradual doses during a span of approximately fourteen days. These injections make sure that as many healthy eggs are produced by the ovaries of the donor and that these eggs are released during harvesting.

• Egg extraction

The eggs are extracted from the donor’s ovaries using a minimally invasive procedure. In fact, the egg retrieval procedure only takes less than 30 minutes, and it is done under anesthesia to ensure that the donor feels comfortable. The donor is also given medication to help her relax and to make the process easier.

Ivan Brandt