Donor Program FAQs
All donors undergo conventional IVF. This means you will be taking daily doses of fertility medications. Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is the most common side-effect and you will feel bloated and crampy. Sensitivity and tenderness at the injection site can be common during the first few times of treatment. Some reaction to the medication is also possible.
Yes, you can still get pregnant after egg donation. Only under extreme circumstances (like infections, untreated OHSS) can your chances be diminished. Our doctors are fully qualified to do the procedures and you will be monitored very carefully during the cycle to avoid any complications.
No, you will not lose your eggs (or your fertility) from the egg retrieval process. Your body produces follicles every menstrual cycle. We will retrieve mostly the mature follicles so you will still have some left after the retrieval. The follicles that are left inside your ovary will mature and you will ovulate them by your next period.
If your qualifications/profile match what we are looking for, we can start you immediately. We usually schedule interviews on Day 3 of your menstrual cycle. A complete cycle can be done in 4-6 weeks. Otherwise, we will put your profile on hold until we are able to start you. This can take up to several months.
Can I donate if:
We can only consider you if it has been at least 6 months from your delivery date. You must not be breast feeding as well.
Yes. We have to have you stop taking birth control for a while and take it again pending the results of your hormone tests. You will completely stop taking it before you do injections.
Yes; however, you will have to remove it to start the cycle. We do not pay for removing or putting back the IUD. You have to discontinue use of Norplant or Depo Provera for several months before you can donate.
Yes; however, pending the results of your hormone levels, you may or may not qualify.
No. Egg donation involves intra-vaginal sonogram/ultrasound as well as the retrieval process.
No. We prefer our donors to not have any history of STD’s (Even if you have been treated and are not showing any symptoms now).
Yes, but only if it has been at least 3 months from your last donation (this can also mean 3 menstrual cycles after your last donation).
No. If you do not have access to your birth-parents’ family medical health information, or there is no informed person to ask, you cannot become an egg donor.
No. You will be taking birth control pills and injections. Certain ingredients of these medications will pose a health risk if you smoke. If you were a previous smoker, you must have stopped for at least 6 months.
You can donate up to 6 times as recommended by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. You must allow your body to rest for at least 4 months after your last retrieval before undergoing a new cycle.
We prefer that you abstain from sexual intercourse while in the cycle. We will give you more instructions as you proceed with the program. You may get pregnant very easily (with a potential for multiples) while taking the injections. This will automatically cancel your cycle.
It is recommended to resume safe sex after you have your first menstrual cycle after the time of retrieval.
Yes. There will be days when you will be required to stop all strenuous activities, stretching, swimming, etc. before and after the retrieval. You are also not allowed to consume alcoholic beverages.
You may feel bloated and experience some cramping a few days before the retrieval. You also may feel discomfort, bloating, and slight spotting after the procedure. This can last up to 7-10 days.
No. We will pay for everything unless you violate your contract. This does not include your travel costs to the clinic if you come to monitor at New Hope Fertility Center.
Whether or not we will accept you depends on your qualifications, where you are located, and the expenses we will incur to bring you to New York. In most cases such donors are only accepted if there are recipients that have already been identified.
All procedures will be done at New Hope Fertility Center; however, we will send you to two different places in Manhattan for genetic counseling and psychological evaluation.
No. If you are from the tristate area, you will have to come to New Hope Fertility Center. If you are from somewhere else other than the tristate, we can send you to another doctor that we choose for your monitoring.
We buy donor insurance for you just in case anything happens.
We will give you full compensation after the procedure on the day of your egg retrieval. No partial compensation will be given before your retrieval. If you do not pass the screening requirements, we will not compensate or reimburse travel expenses.
No, this is part of their confidentiality agreement. Conversely, the recipient will not get your personal information either. They will only receive the profile you filled out without personal details that reveal your identity.
No. We give you an idea of how many you have while you are monitored, but we will not tell you the total number of eggs retrieved after the procedure. This prevents you from having to think about the possible outcome of your donation.
No. After your eggs have been retrieved, you will not be involved in any other procedure. As part of your contract, you will not be responsible for any children born out of your donation.
Yes. You just have to fill out the medical records release form.
The average waiting period for donor egg recipients is 1 to 3 months. This includes the time to match an egg donor up to the completion of the embryo transfer.
Yes, but you should contact our Chinese coordinator: chinese-patient@nhfc.com.
It usually takes a longer time to complete the donor process at other fertility care centers because of the need to match each person with a specific donor. Many patients have certain characteristics that they are looking for, which may take several weeks or months. After a donor is selected, each cycle has to be properly synchronized for that specific individual. At New Hope Fertility Center, our turnover period is faster due to the fact that our donor’s have already been selected and cycled. Their eggs are banked using our vitrification technique, eliminating the synchronize time and speeding up the entire donor egg IVF process.
Using fresh donor eggs requires longer preparation time because the recipient will have to synchronize her menstrual cycle with that of her donor. To synchronize cycles, the doctor may use pills or injectable drugs to stop the recipient from ovulating before the donor does. Embryo transfers are done when the endometrium is at the 3-5 day post-ovulation level. This is the best environment for the embryos to implant and grow in the uterus. Nonetheless, it is usually difficult to have two women ovulate at the same time. Frozen oocytes and embryos eliminate the need to synchronize both the recipient’s and the donor’s menstrual cycles and the drugs required with it. Frozen donor eggs and embryos can be thawed whenever the patient is ready following natural ovulation. A Donor Egg IVF that follows a recipient’s natural cycle will tremendously shorten the treatment period and eliminate the unnecessary use injectable and oral medications.
Yes. Quality is not compromised when we freeze eggs because of our use of the vitrification technique. Since all specimens are composed of water particles, normal freezing techniques produce ice crystals that can damage the structure of the specimen. Vitrification, on the other hand, uses cryoprotectants that prevent these water particles from forming ice crystals, resulting in no damage to the cells. Since 2003, more than 550 babies have been born using the vitrification technique at our international fertility care centers.
Usually 3-5 frozen oocytes will be thawed for fertilization with the patient’s partner sperm when the recipient starts to ovulate, with typically one embryo transferred in each cycle. Any remaining embryos will be frozen using vitrification for future use.
We have information about our donors here.
We have information about our donor program costs and contact information here. Almost all of our donors are anonymous donors. Our new list includes pictures. Since we also recruit from professional donor agencies, we have a very diverse pool of donors including Europeans, Asians, African-Americans, Jewish and Latin Americans. We also accept direct donors (donors that you know).