Donor Egg Recipients

Psychological evaluations are vital to the egg donation, ensuring recipients are emotionally prepared for the journey ahead. These evaluations, conducted by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist, explore the emotional, relational, and ethical implications of using donor eggs to build a family. They help the couple understand the potential challenges they may face, such as feelings about using a donor, discussing the process with their future child, and managing expectations. This step ensures mental and emotional well-being throughout the experience.

Before an embryo transfer, hormone therapy is used to prepare the uterine lining for implantation. This typically involves taking estrogen to thicken the lining and progesterone to help it mature, creating an optimal environment for the embryo. The timing and dosage of these medications are carefully monitored through blood tests and ultrasounds. Hormone therapy ensures the uterus is synchronized with the embryo’s development, increasing the chances of successful implantation and pregnancy. Your doctor will tailor the treatment to your specific needs.

The recipient and her husband should plan to arrive in Cary the day before the donor’s egg retrieval. This ensures a fresh semen sample is available to fertilize the donor’s oocytes. The sperm sample must be provided 4–5 hours before insemination or approximately 2 hours after the egg retrieval. The husband will receive detailed instructions on how to collect the semen sample properly. To address potential challenges, such as stress-related difficulty during collection or the inability to be present at the time of retrieval, a backup semen sample will be cryopreserved in advance.

The oocytes are inseminated with the recipient’s husband’s sperm. The embryos obtained are cultured for approximately five days before being transferred into the recipient’s uterus.

• Follow the Medication Protocol: Stick to your prescribed hormone treatment schedule as directed by your doctor to prepare the uterine lining for embryo implantation.
• Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: Focus on a nutritious diet, moderate exercise, and avoid alcohol, smoking, or other harmful substances.
• Manage Stress: Incorporate relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga to reduce stress.
• Rest and Hydrate: Ensure you’re well-rested and hydrated before the transfer day.
• Attend Appointments: Go to all scheduled monitoring visits for bloodwork and ultrasounds.

The transfer is accomplished using a small catheter. The procedure, which is usually simple and painless, is performed without anesthesia under ultrasound guidance. Therefore, you will be asked to come to the transfer with a full bladder. The recipient lies on her back in the operating room adjacent to the embryology laboratory where the embryo has been prepared. The recipient remains in bed in the center for 30 minutes, then returns to her lodging and remains in bed for 24 hours. Following the transfer, implantation may occur, and a pregnancy may ensue. However, as in natural reproduction, many fertilized oocytes do not survive.

The recipient may return home 3-4 days after the embryo transfer with decreased activity and will continue with hormonal support for 1-12 weeks. The recipient’s husband or another qualified individual can administer these hormone injections. Hormonal support should be maintained at least until the pregnancy test is conducted two weeks after the transfer. If the pregnancy test is positive, hormonal support will continue for ten weeks. Women who achieve pregnancy will then be referred to their obstetrician/gynecologist for ongoing prenatal care.

In North Carolina, gender selection through IVF is available and primarily done through a Preimplantation Genetic Test (PGT) or Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS). This involves testing embryos for their chromosomal content before implantation, allowing the selection of male (XY) or female (XX) embryos. The primary goal of this process is often to ensure the embryos are free of genetic disorders, but it can also be used for family balancing or sex selection.

While gender selection is legal and available in North Carolina, it’s essential to consult with your fertility specialist to fully understand the ethical considerations, costs, and whether it’s the right option for your family. NCCRM offers this service as part of our fertility treatments when suitable.

As the donor is compensated for participating in the program, you will be responsible for covering her expenses, including the cost of her treatment leading up to egg retrieval. NCCRM operates on a cash-only basis and cannot extend credit. We accept payments via check, cashier’s check, or Mastercard/Visa credit card. You will be asked to coordinate payment arrangements with our financial counselor during your first visit. For detailed information about program costs, please get in touch with NCCRM’s financial office.

During the screening process, both the donor and recipient will receive consent forms that provide detailed information about the procedure, ensuring clarity and understanding of the process.