Egg Donation Cycle: The Egg Donor

The egg donor undergoes ovulation induction with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). She also receives either Lupron or Ganirelix to control her stimulation and prevent early ovulation of her eggs.

Monitoring the Egg Donation Cycle

While undergoing ovulation induction, the egg donor must report regularly to one of our fertility centers for cycle monitoring. HRC has seven Southern California infertility clinics that can perform cycle monitoring.

Donor egg cycle monitoring includes transvaginal ultrasounds and blood tests to evaluate estradiol hormone levels. The infertility specialist can usually visually confirm the number of follicles and their size using ultrasound. Estrogen levels increase as healthy follicles develop. Checking estrogen levels is an important safeguard as severely elevated levels are an indicator of a potentially serious side effect, hyperstimulation.

Egg Retrieval

Once the eggs mature, an injection of hCG is given to finally prepare the eggs and the retrieval is scheduled 36 hours later.  The eggs are retrieved using the transvaginal ultrasound guided egg retrieval. A small needle is inserted through the back of the vagina, penetrating the follicles and the eggs are withdrawn. The donor is under general anesthesia and the procedure is usually not painful.

Expenses

The recipient couple pays all of the egg donor's expenses, including ovulation induction drugs. (Please see the IVF financial information page, which includes the cost for donor egg.)