10 Step Egg Donor Recipient Process
A cycle takes 3-6 months to complete from initial screening to the actual retrieval and embryo transfer.
Step 1 - Recipient Consultations
Step 1 - Recipient Consultations
The first step is to contact Seattle Reproductive Medicine (SRM) and schedule a comprehensive consultation with one of our physicians. A SRM physician will thoroughly review your medical records and ensure that Donor Egg is the appropriate treatment.
Step 2 - Recipient Education Appointments
Psychosocial Educational Appointment
The decision to turn to egg donation can be very difficult. Our fertility counselors understand the complex and delicate nature of egg donation as a means to starting a family. The appointment with our fertility counselors will enable you to discuss any questions or concerns you or partner may have and will give you a general description of the donor egg process.
DEP Consult
The Donor Egg Cycle is complex, exciting and at times stressful. The Donor Program Consultation is important in order to review the screening process and time frames involved. At this appointment a member of the donor egg program will review the details of the donor egg process, along with the screening requirements set by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Step 3 - Screening Requirements
In order to begin the screening process you will need to pay a donor egg cycle management fee (See Third Party Cycle Coordination and Donor Selection Fee handout).
All screening requirements must be completed for you and your partner prior to matching with an anonymous donor. Please review the Donor Egg Recipient Screening Requirements included in your recipient packet for an outline of all required screening items.
Step 4 - Donor Selection and Cycle Coordination
Our Donor Egg Services Liaison will give you the password to access the online donor database and assist you in selecting a donor based on the characteristics that are important to you. After you and your partner have completed all screening requirements you can then place the donor selection fee on your donor. The start of your donor IVF cycle must occur within two months of placing the deposit on your donor. If your IVF cycle does not begin within two months after placing the selection fee your donor will be released to cycle with another recipient.
Once you have selected a donor and placed the selection fee, we will begin coordination and synchronization of your treatment cycle based on the target timeframe for embryo retrieval and transfer that all parties have agreed upon.
It is important to note that it takes 4-6 weeks from the time you and your donor are synchronized with birth control pills to the actual egg retrieval and embryo transfer.
Step 5 - Treatment Plan Review and Consent Signing
Ideally, both partners should be available at this appointment
At this appointment, you will have the opportunity to meet with your physician to discuss your treatment plan, including the method of insemination, number of embryos to transfer, transfer on day 3 or day 5, and any other questions you and your partner may have before beginning your donor IVF treatment cycle. This appointment may occur in person or by phone.
The consent forms will also be reviewed and should be completed and returned to SRM at the conclusion of this visit. If this visit is not completed in our office, the signatures will have to be notarized by a notary public. The consent forms must be returned prior to the start of you donor IVF treatment cycle.
Step 6 - Protocol Review and Injection Training
A member of the donor program staff will then review your individual protocol with instructions for medications, appointments, and retrieval and transfer dates. A separate injection training class may also be scheduled if needed.
Step 7 - Egg Production and Recipient Uterine Preparation for Implantation
Your chosen donor will be given fertility medications over the course of 8-12 days to stimulate the production of multiple eggs. Her progress will be monitored frequently to ensure the eggs are developing appropriately. While your donor is going through the egg stimulation process, you will be given hormones to stimulate your uterine lining. Please see copy of the enclosed sample calendar.
Step 8 - Egg Recovery, Fertilization and Development of the Embryos
Once your donor is ready for egg recovery as determined by a SRM physician, she is given another medication exactly 35 hours prior to the egg retrieval. This medication will bring the eggs to final maturity. The sonographic egg recovery (SER) involves the use of an ultrasound-guided needle to gently remove the eggs from the ovaries. Your donor will receive medication during the procedure and should experience little or no discomfort. Your male partner's sperm is typically collected on the day of the donor's egg recovery, unless using a cryopreserved sample.
After the egg recovery, the embryologist prepares the donated eggs in the laboratory with the sperm from your partner or donor sperm. You will be called the day after the donor's retrieval to discuss the number of eggs fertilized and you will be given a tentative day 3 transfer time.
Step 9 - Embryo Transfer
The embryo transfer will take 3-5 days after the egg recovery. The SRM physician will discuss the final embryology report and the recommendation to transfer 1 or 2 embryos with you on the day of embryo transfer. The embryos are then transferred through your cervix into your uterus via a small catheter.
Step 10 - Pregnancy Test
Ten to twelve days after the embryo transfer you will return to SRM office for a blood pregnancy test. If pregnant, SRM will follow progress with blood work, followed by one or more ultrasounds before you return to the referring obstetrician for ongoing care.
If the pregnancy test is positive, it will be necessary to continue the hormone medications for an additional 6 weeks in order to support early pregnancy. You will return to the clinic 24-36 hours after ceasing hormone medications to ensure that you no longer require supplementation.
