What is Egg Donation?

Egg donation is a process that targets women infertility issues by seeking help from egg donors by gathering their eggs and injecting them in the recipient, a woman with infertility issues.

We attain the eggs by stimulating the donor’s ovaries which we fertilize for further use. Also, we transfer the embryos to the recipient woman, marking the end of the procedure.

 

 

 

 

 

                                           Linking the Donor and Recipient

Donor selection is a crucial stage in the process as it determines so much of what your baby is going to look and act like. The hereditary features, characteristics and several other details are to be kept without alteration, and so choosing a fit and a healthy donor is very important. We can establish A connection between the donor and recipient in two ways;

Anonymous Donor

Around 95% of the egg donations are anon. The recipient’s identity is kept hidden as this kind of relationship is always under secrecy. Apart from the identity of the donor, we disclose all their attributes to the recipient and on approval of the recipient, the procedure begins.

Non-anonymous Donor

Some donors and recipients exchange a meeting before going forward with the process which allows for a complete disclosure of each other’s identity and characteristics. The recipient can ask all kinds of questions from the donor and erase any doubts they may have before the commencement of the procedure.

The Rightful Recipients of an Egg Donation

 

There is a long queue of women who are eligible and in need of egg donations to extend their families and feel those motherly sensations for their children. Here are all the conditions that make for a legitimate recipient.

• Women whose menstruation cycle and production of eggs has stopped

– Women with a disorder that hinders pregnancy

• Women whose menstruation cycle and production of eggs has stopped

– Women with a disorder that hinders pregnancy

• Women whose illnesses have caused ovary failure

– Women who have received cancer treatments

• Women with limited or no ovaries’ stimulation

– Women who have failed their IVF treatments

• Women with the likelihood of hereditary diseases

– Women with problematic egg count and quality

 

How to Make an Egg Donation:

In the egg transplant process, we can carry out the connection between the egg donor and the recipient can be in two ways.

Egg Donation – Donor Selection

Most of the genetic codes of your child to be born come from the egg and sperm. When people have a baby with their own eggs and sperm, they have an obligation to accept the hereditary diseases that may occur in the baby. Tens of thousands of babies born have not had any problems. However, the possibility of testing all molecules in an egg is unfortunately not possible with today’s technology.

The most sensitive issue in the transactions we have been doing for about 20 years is the safety of donors and prospective mothers. Since the first day, we have been implementing the healthiest system in our center, not thinking commercially at all. The chance to find cheaper eggs is of course possible. It is also possible to reduce the cost by performing fewer tests and providing lower quality service.

As an organization, we have set out to do long-term and permanent work. We think that the cost is in second place to human health and we monitor this sensitivity by applying various standards. We serve a large number of patients from western countries. Our center is the first institution in Europe to receive NHS accreditation. Healthy babies, in 45 countries around the world, have been born with our help.

 

Gearing Up for Egg Donation

The procedure begins with the donor requiring to hand over the official document that displays her educational status. It is an important phase of the procedure as it screens the ineligible donors out and leaves behind the valid entries only.

In pursuit of bringing the healthiest babies in the world, Dr. HIT stresses heavily upon the screening procedure of potential donors. And so, we examine them against the ASRM and ESHRE standards so we can preserve your future.

When choosing the donors among the applications, we consider a number of elements, such as;

• Psychological assessments in which Preliminary tests assess the mental wellbeing of the donor candidate,
• General information,
• depression and anxiety tests
• detailed medical analyses
• depressive personality disorder. We disqualify people with Psychosis and Neurotic issues.

Psychological Assessment

Starting with the mental state, we check the donors for all their psychological conditions including depression and anxiety tests. We disqualify Applicants with personality disorders, psychotic, or neurotic issues.

 

Serological Evaluation

Infectious diseases (HBsAg, HCV, HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, (CMV) and thalassemia test which is legally mandatory as well as Cystic Fibrosis.

“All mentioned tests are completed in a trusted laboratory that has all the necessary ISO certificates and all is accompanied with valid ID control.”

 

Gynaecological Review

We have the donor candidate through a Gynaecological Review in which they assess her egg reserve and antral follicle counts to see if she is suitable to become a donor.

 

Hematologic Tests

Due to the risk of bleeding during the egg collection, we identify the adequacy of the person’s blood cells and clotting potential. Definitely, without exceptions, we make them have blood tests such as LH, FSH, and AMH, which shows whether the candidate is fertile. We carry out Transvaginal scans to determine whether the donor candidate is suitable for the stimulation process.

 

Genetic tests

If the recipient`s partner is a genetic carrier of a specific gene that can affect any offspring’s health, we also screen the donor for this also to reduce the risk of a child being born with the same gene. The routine tests on donors for Chromosome Analysis are for Thalassemia and Cystic fibrosis. As a clinic, we can complete screening up to 1800 genetic disorder tests or can negotiate with centers abroad in order to fulfill this request. There are still many new techniques that scientists go on creating to thoroughly screen and test genetic disorders. However, the results are not 100% and we recommend to all our patients that they should keep screening during any pregnancy.

 

A donor receives a certificate once the conclusion of all the additional tests comes out. This certificate includes all the physical and medical details along with their psychological profile.

 

Preparations and Procedures for Egg Donors

Preparations for Egg Donors; Egg donors must first have a valid identity document and we require them to apply with an official document showing their educational status. We do not accept Unreliable persons who cannot provide valid references.

In our clinic, this procedure has been performed for tens of thousands of couples for 15 years and it is aimed to help provide a healthy and happy baby. The most important issue addressed by Dr.HIT is donor selection and preparation. They are evaluated and selected in accordance with the ASRM and ESHRE standards.

All procedures are to be done in terms of patient health and are carried out completely at the highest quality of standards. Any costs related to this issue are inevitable, to ensure that high standards are maintained. Failure to provide the utmost supreme donor, during the screening process, may lead to undesirable outcomes.

Other centers that try to compete on price waive these tests. Even if the donors are people we have never met, it’s a necessity for the children of the prospective parents, as they need to be healthy and happy children. This has always been our utmost priority. We take this responsibility very seriously and have been maintaining our high standard for 15 years.

 

 

 

Procedure Outline of Egg Donation for Egg Donor Recipients

It is a must that we also prepare the receiving families properly. We inform them about the stages of the procedure thoroughly. Below, you can find the necessary information about the procedure. For the mother-to-be, the procedure begins with her having an ultrasound. It is very important that the man definitely has a sperm analysis. Afterward, the couple had blood tests to rule out contagious illnesses such as Hbs AG, HIV, and Anti- HCV, and thyroid hormone checks such as T3, T4, and TSH. We file the results for them. The key to success comes from the proper examination of the couple. The list of necessary steps are below according to importance;

1. HSG (Hysterosalpingogram – medicated screening of the uterus)

The medicated screening of the uterus is the most important as well as the easiest method to analyze the state of the fallopian tubes. We conduct this by inserting fluid containing radiopaque being via the entrance of the uterine cavity through to the fallopian tubes. It allows the x-ray to see where the liquid has traveled. It also enables us to see the growths like myoma and polyps more clearly.

We can also see Hydrosalpinxs where tubes are swollen due to liquid retention. These conditions can fail the pregnancy and can also cause an ectopic pregnancy. Hydrosalpinx is treatable by tying the fallopian tubes or by surgically removing them. In the case of the existence of Polyps and myomas, we need to remove them surgically before commencing treatment.

IMPORTANT NOTE – usually when patients hear that they need surgery for Hydrosalpinx (swelling in the tubes) panic is a natural reaction. The fallopian tubes are not only useless; at the same time they obstruct pregnancy from occurring and removing them is necessary.

2. Endometrium (the lining of the womb) – easily observable with USI (ultrasound contrast imaging)

This is the easiest and most effective way to examine the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus. This layer is called the endometrium. We measure the thickness of the endometrium. Finding problems with this lining and treating them are very important for patients undergoing IVF treatment. Careful examination can increase the patient’s chance of pregnancy.

“The endometrium is sensitive to woman`s Oestrogen hormone.”

The hormone estradiol is around the tissues that surround the egg during development. The progesterone hormone is also around the same place. Towards the end of a period, the amount of this hormone decreases. Due to this withdrawal, bleeding may occur. When women become pregnant, this hormone will continue to increase in the blood. The endometrium will not shed. Throughout the pregnancy, the placenta will be keeping this hormone and a withdrawal bleeding will not occur.

For an endometrium to accept an embryo and for pregnancy to occur, it needs to produce enough estradiol for 10 days. Only afterward the progesterone hormone can work best.

 

The important points for the preparation of the endometrium are;

           In order for pregnancy to take place;

1. We should make the endometrium take estradiol hormone for at least 10 days. The receptors found in the endometrium should be saturated. Due to this, the endometrium should thicken by about 8mm-14mm. Studies carried out in recent years have shown that at least 7mm and above are suitable.
2. Estradiol needs to be present in the blood for about 24 days so that withdrawal bleeding does not occur. There is no pre-agreed period about the duration of estradiol after embryo transfer.
3. About 5 days after transfer, the placenta starts to secrete estradiol and progesterone.
4. The patients take supplements externally of Estradiol and progesterone for egg donation, embryo donation, and frozen embryo transfer cycles.
   

   “It is hard to conduct the procedure when the patient is following their natural hormone cycle.”

5. The levels of progesterone and the following natural cycles are very important. If there is the situation of exposure of progesterone to endometrium for more than 7 days, the patient’s failing pregnancy is unlikely. The limit of saturation of progesterone is 1.85. For the preparation of the patient’s endometrium, she should use 10 days of estradiol. After that, by checking the development of embryos, we decide for how long more we should supply progesterone. This may go up to 17 days.
   

   If you want to learn more about endometrial problems, please click here.