FIV Recoletos - La Reproducción Nuestra Razón de Existir

EGG DONATION: INFORMATION FOR THE DONOR

INTRODUCTION

In vitro fertilisation with eggs which have been donated anonymously is an assisted reproduction technique which has now been used for many years. Its use lies in the fact that it makes pregnancy possible for women in whom pregnancy with their own eggs is very unlikely or even impossible for a variety of reasons.

The reasons for a women needing to turn to this type of treatment are very varied. In some cases there may have been some type of growth in the ovaries which has meant that they have had to be removed. On other occasions, however, the ovaries may have stopped working correctly in an early stage of the woman's life. Sometimes the problem lies in the fact that very few eggs are produced by the ovaries or that the quality of the eggs is poor, meaning that they cannot be fertilised or that once they are fertilised they are not easily able to implant themselves in the uterus to bring about the pregnancy.

The only problem which egg donation can imply is the fact that, as we know, a woman usually produces just a single egg each month. If we donated only one egg, the likelihood of pregnancy would be virtually zero. This forces us to stimulate the donor patient’s ovaries as we will now see. Furthermore, the ovaries are somewhat “hidden”, meaning that we have to use a series of measures to access them and collect the eggs. But below we will try and explain all of this as briefly and as simply as possible.

WHAT DOES EGG DONATION CONSIST OF?

The donation of eggs is, as we have already said, a technique which uses in vitro fertilisation where the eggs are donated by an anonymous person.

As we have also said, this means that we have to stimulate the donor patient’s ovaries. To do this a medication called gonadotropin is administered. This makes the patient produce more than one follicle (the ovary structures where the eggs are formed). This medication is a completely natural chemical. It is the same as the chemical which in normal conditions stimulates the production of the single follicle which is normally produced each month. However, in this type of treatment we have to use it in slightly higher doses than those which occur in normal conditions. This entails two small disadvantages. The first one is that it is injected (one or two injections every day for a time averaging two weeks), though it is subcutaneous (like insulin for diabetic patients) and so most patients can inject it themselves, with all the freedom this implies. The second inconvenience is that we have to check very thoroughly how the ovary responds. To do this, the patient has to have a check-up every two or three days including an ultrasound scan, and in some cases a blood test as well.

When the ultrasound shows us that the ovaries are ready to provoke ovulation, we make the collection from the follicles. This is done by puncturing the ovaries via the vagina, using ultrasound to guide us. This is a painless procedure. It can be done without the need for any kind of painkiller. However, to avoid any kind of pain, we prefer to sedate the patient. Of course, this procedure does not require admission into hospital. Shortly after recovering consciousness completely after having been sedated, the patient may go home, though it is advisable that on this day the patient rests.

Once the eggs have been collected menstruation tends to occur 7 to 10 days later. It is usually heavier than usual.

On the other hand, it is advisable during the donation cycle to maximise anti-contraceptive measures during sex to avoid the risks of pregnancy.

SIDE EFFECTS AND RISKS

There are no long term side effects or risks. This type of treatment has not be shown to be related either to the appearance of cancer, subsequent infertility, or to the early onset of the menopause. Nor has it been shown to cause weight-gain or facial hair to appear.

It is common during the treatment period for there to be a feeling of abdominal "swelling", and for there even to be an increase in the waistline. The ovaries can become somewhat sore. Equally, the breasts may become somewhat sensitive and may increase in size somewhat. These effects are temporary and completely disappear once the next period arrives.

Other extremely uncommon risks are ovarian hyperstimulation, the puncture of structures other than the ovary, or infection. The first of these consists of an excessive response to the medication on the part of the ovaries. It can become serious and require admission into hospital. To avoid it we have to carry out the ultrasound scans and tests which we mentioned above. These checks are vital if we are to minimise any risks of this treatment, and so it is very important to be very strict in carrying out the instructions given to the patient by the medial team.

The puncture of other structures is extremely unlikely being as the puncture is done under the guidance of ultrasound, and so we can constantly see the needle. The case is somewhat similar when it comes to infection. The chances of getting an infection after ovarian puncture are minimal. Furthermore, in order to reduce these risks even further, the procedure is carried out in a sterile environment such as an operating theatre and a prophylactic antibiotic is used.

REQUISITES FOR JOINING THE EGG DONATION PROGRAMME

First of all it is important to point out that in accordance with current legislation in Spain donation must be made anonymously, that is to say that the recipient couple may not be given any information regarding the donor, nor may the donor be given information regarding the recipient couple.

The law also stipulates that donors must be women between the ages of 18 and 35 (they may not be older than this in order to avoid risks with respect to the chromosomes). They must undergo a complete check of their personal and family medical history, a complete physical examination which includes a complete gynaecological examination (the same as the one which women should have every year) and a series of blood, urine and vaginal culture tests to rule out any general, infectious or genetic illnesses.

Though we have tried to be as thorough and as clear as possible in our explanation of In Vitro Fertilisation using donated eggs, it is logical that you may have other questions. Please do not hesitate to contact our team about them. We would be delighted to answer them. Thank you.