Thinking about becoming an egg donor? At the best fertility centre in India, we walk you through every aspect of the donation process with complete honesty. Here are answers to the questions donors ask most, about the procedure, timeline, compensation, safety, and your future fertility.
Q. How does egg donation work?
A donor over a course of approximately 3 weeks will self-inject hormones to stimulate her ovarian production. Our fertility doctors closely monitor her throughout this process. Once her eggs are “ready”, we schedule her for a procedure to remove them from her ovaries. We perform this procedure under sedation in an outpatient setting. Most donors return to work or school the following day.
Q. How does egg retrieval work?
The egg retrieval uses trans-vaginal ultrasound guidance and requires no surgery. Our fertility physician performs this outpatient procedure at the clinic. We give you twilight sedation through an IV to keep you comfortable. Your doctor guides a specialized ultrasound probe through the vagina to locate and collect your eggs. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes.
Q.Does it hurt?
During the stimulation phase, a donor might experience PMS-like symptoms, some bloating and minor irritability. We perform the retrieval procedure under sedation, so you won’t experience pain during the process. After the procedure, a donor will generally feel groggy from the sedative and may experience some spotty bleeding and/or cramping. This usually subsides after a few hours.
Q. What are the risks? (Doctors have not reported any long-term side effects from egg donation)
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome represents the main risk, though it affects only 1-2% of IVF cases. Your physician monitors you closely to prevent this complication. If it occurs, you may experience weight gain and severe bloating. Like any medical procedure, egg retrieval carries some infection risk, so we usually provide antibiotics as a precaution.
Q. How long will it take?
Once a donor is in cycle, the process is quite short, approximately 3 months from selection to the retrieval procedure. However, before beginning this process, a donor must be “selected” by an infertile couple or individual and this can sometimes take several months.
Q. Will my future fertility be affected?
No. The medications nor the procedure compromise the possibility of becoming pregnant in the future, unless infection occurs which is extremely rare. Our doctors take every precaution to ensure your comfort, health and safety throughout the process.
Q. Will I miss a lot of work?
Hopefully not. Most appointments are scheduled for early in the morning so a donor will have as little disruption to her schedule as possible. The procedure will require an entire day free, however. It is very important that you recognize the level of responsibility required in making and keeping these appointments, and in doing so, be very honest with yourself as to whether or not donation would be possible for you and your work, school and personal schedule.
Q. How much am I paid?
At the best fertility centre in India, our egg donors receive a base compensation that varies based on location, ranging from between Rs. 8,000 and Rs 12,000 in India. Your compensation will be discussed with you during your consultation with our staff. Donors are paid their full compensation upon completion of the cycle.
Q: Is egg donation anonymous?
From its infancy to a relatively short time ago, third-party reproduction was a taboo subject and not many people talked openly about it. A completely anonymous donation was the norm and accepted by everyone involved. Now, more is known about the importance of a donor-conceived child’s need for access to their full genetic identity. Coupled with technological advances such as at-home DNA test kits, being anonymous is a thing of the past.
At Ekmi Fertility, we take the views of anonymity for intended parents and egg donors into account when helping find the best match. There are many different ways to facilitate communication and we are here to support both our Egg Donors and Intended Parents based on their wants and needs.