If you’re thinking about being an egg
donor, you’ve probably got a lot of questions about how it all works. After all, it is a bit mysterious,
isn’t it! This section is designed to take the enigma out of the process, and help you to feel
comfortable with what’s involved. You can also click here to
download our guidebook to help you determine if egg donation is right for you.
-
Initial Donor Consultation
Once you’ve been welcomed aboard as an Asiancy Angel, you’ll attend a mandatory new donor consultation. This is a great chance for us to meet one another, and for us to answer any burning questions that you might have!
-
Donor Profile Creation
After the initial meet-up, we’ll create a personal profile for you, which will be added to our database. Don’t worry, all your personal details are well protected with up-to-date online security measures, including password protection. Prospective parents can access this database and select a donor based on their particular needs. The decision might be made on a number of factors, such as similarity to recipient mother, ethnic background or other criteria.
-
Psychological Evaluation
We undertake a psychological evaluation, just to make sure that you’ll be able to face the challenges ahead. The road to helping someone start a family is rewarding, but it does take time, effort and a lot of determination, you know! We want to check that you’re emotionally prepared for the process and that we can meet your needs throughout.
-
Legal Review
Once the psychologist has approved you, you’ll meet up with an attorney to review your contract. Sounds a little scary, doesn’t it? However, don’t worry. This is to make sure that everyone is happy with the agreement and prepared for the process. The prospective parents will then sign their documents, and we’ll all get ready to get started. Exciting! Click here to learn more about the donor contract.
-
Medical Evaluation
Here’s where things get moving. We’ll send you to a clinic for a medical evaluation, which will include several tests, blood work and a vaginal ultrasound. You’ll also receive some handy training, showing you how to inject your medication when required. Click here to learn more about the medication you will be taking.
-
The Donation Cycle
On your marks, get set, go! We will purchase special donor health insurance for you. Click
here to learn more about the health insurance. When instructed, you’ll start taking
your medication. In this initial stage, it’s all about synchronizing your cycle with the cycle of the
recipient. How do we achieve this, you may wonder? We use a hormone called Lupron, which you’ll inject
into yourself once a day. Normally, you’ll need to do this for 12 days.
After this, you’ll visit the fertility center for a blood test and ultrasound, in preparation for the
stimulation phase. This bit, as you might imagine, is the busy bit, but it’s also the most
exciting.
During this stimulation phase, you’ll give yourself a daily injection of follicle-stimulating hormone
for around 10 days. During this all-important time, you’ll visit the fertility center every other day,
between 8:00am and 10:00am. During the appointments, you’ll have an ultrasound and blood test to see how
those hormones are performing.
-
Retrieval Process
This is the part that gets everyone’s heart beating a little faster. When your hormones have reached the
right level, the doctor will ask you to take a final injection. This is called the ‘trigger’ shot (hCG)
and it causes your ovaries to release eggs for the retrieval procedure. Go ovaries!
About 34 hours after the ‘trigger’ shot, you’ll come to the fertility center for the egg retrieval
process. During this time, you’ll be given a sedative, which will put you in a semi-conscious state. The
retrieval is carried out using a small aspiration needle, and it’s guided by an ultrasound. Most donors
don’t feel a thing, and many don’t even remember anything from the procedure.
Rest assured, you’ll be closely monitored throughout the process.
-
Recovery
Hooray, you’ve done it! Well done you. You’ll wake up around half an hour after the procedure, and you’ll be able to return to work the following day. Your donor compensation will be mailed to you after the egg retrieval has been completed. And now it’s time to relax, give yourself a big pat on the back and bask in the glow of your wonderful gift!