Steps to Donor IVF for Out of Town Patients
To expedite cycle initiation and reduce patient travel SRM has developed an express process for out-of-area donor egg recipients. Our process features a "superday"- a one day schedule of all the necessary appointments allowing you to minimize travel and expedite the development of your treatment plan. The following outlines the process for our out-of-area patients completing donor egg IVF:
The Super Day
In order to begin treatment at Seattle Reproductive Medicine you will travel to Seattle for a comprehensive one-day initial consultation. On that day you will meet with your physician who may also perform a pelvic ultrasound and uterine sounding. You will also have a psychosocial educational visit with one of our social workers and a meeting with your donor egg program IVF coordinator, Lindsey Rounsefell. Patients choosing to freeze a sperm sample to use the day of your selected egg donor's retrieval can do so at this time.
Screening Requirements
During your consultation with our donor coordinator she will review a list of required tests you will need to complete in order to initiate a donor cycle. After your initial visit to our clinic, you can complete all of your remaining screening requirements with your local fertility clinic.
Donor Selection
At this time you will also begin to review, at your own convenience, our password protected online egg donor profiles. Donor profiles contain childhood photos ages 0-8, education/employment information, extensive family medical history, a summary from her mental health professional screening, a genetic report from a licensed genetic counselor, and a handwritten page from the donor describing her personality and a message to her future recipient. You will be matched with an egg donor with the assistance of our dedicated donor services liaison, Amy Smith; however, the final decision on which donor to choose is completely up to you!
Cycle Coordination
Once you have completed all of your screening requirements and selected an egg donor, your IVF coordinator will work with you to obtain your cycle medications locally and create a calendar for your donor egg IVF cycle based on when you wish to travel back to Seattle. Monitoring during your cycle can be completed at your local fertility clinic, minimizing the time that you will need to be in Seattle.
Traveling to Seattle for Retrieval and Transfer
Your donor's eggs will be inseminated the day of retrieval. You will need to be in Seattle at that time if using a fresh sperm specimen. The embryo transfer will then occur three to five days after the donor's egg retrieval. Patients who have provided a frozen sperm specimen need only be in Seattle for the transfer. After the embryo transfer, you can return home. If you will be using fresh sperm specimen expect to be in Seattle five to eight days; if using frozen sperm expect to be in Seattle 1-3 days.
Post Transfer
Your post-transfer instructions will include directions on what medications to take and when. You'll also be instructed to go to your local clinic for a pregnancy test approximately 10-12 days after the egg retrieval. We most often receive the results the same day as the test and will notify you of the results. If pregnant we will review the coordination of your ongoing OB care between SRM and your local healthcare provider.
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