egg donation

[reena]

can someone shed some light on the egg donation program, e.g cost, how long does the procedure takes

[Ghost]

It's very similar to regular IVF, and takes about as long. The donor IVF cycle itself takes about month, depending on the protocol. If you're pregnant, it obviously goes longer.

The advantages are that they can select an "ideal" donor, one likely to produce many good eggs and resulting embryos. Also, the embryos are transferred into someone who has not just undergone ovarian stimulation, so their endometrium can be more optimally prepared. Ovarian stimulation raises hormone levels, resulting in some temporary compromise of the endometrium.

The cost is about the same as regular IVF, plus you'll have to pay for an egg donor. From what I can tell that's around $3000 to $6000. If it's a family member, they might do it for free.

The success rates of donor cycles are well above those of regular IVF, and depend very little on the age of the recipient. It works quite well in most 45 year olds, for example, where regular IVF routinely fails.

[Kiwi1]

Hi ya

I am new to this site. When you say it costs $3,000 to 6,000 do you mean to say that is what a donor receives? I am blown away that you get paid for it, personally it seems a bit unethical to receive money for it. Thats only my own personal opinion though.

[BevT]

Some countries do allow "payment" for expenses etc and others, like the UK do not. The waiting list for donors in the UK isat least 2 years now, but sometimes a lot longe. Somewhere like Spain where the donors can receive a "payment" have no waiting lists. If you consider what a donor has to go through to donate her eggs, I think a payment of some kind is acceptable. The drugs protocol is gruelling in itself, let alone the invasive procedures to collect the eggs.

There are some women who donate totally ultruistically and all credit must go to these women. However they are few and far between. The demand for donors far outstrips the supply in a lot of countries.

Having just been through a successful donor cycle in Eastern Europe (our clinic's criteria is that donors already have at least one healthy child of their own) I am all for "paying" donors.

[Kiwi1]

Dont get me wrong, I can understand why donors receive payment but for myself I just couldnt accept payment - too much like selling and buying body parts to me. I am in the process of doing a known donation and the best and only payment for me will be when they get a BFP and I know that they are fulfilling their dream of becoming parents

[BevT]

It is a wonderful thing that you are doing and I agree that if you know the recipient then it is a whole different ball game. I wish you success with it and hope that your friend/relative gets her BFP.

[Kiwi1]

Thanks BevT. Its actually a couple I met over the internet that have become friends. Just been to pick up my drug bag today. I am quite excited, cant wait to get going now.