The process of egg donation is relatively pain free. There are subcutaneous injections (very small needles that only go right under the skin) that you have to administer to yourself in the abdomen or thigh for 2-3 weeks during the cycle. Blood draws are also administered by nursing professionals at each medical appointment. The retrieval process is done under light sedation, therefore the donor is asleep during the retrieval process. The donor may experience mild bloating or cramping for a few days after the retrieval process, but once her menstrual cycle starts the body goes back to its normal routine.
The egg donation process in anonymous, however you will be given the donor questionnaire and photos for your records if requested
There are many factors in this, such as if the donor has to travel and your fertility clinic. Please give us a call and we can break out the costs for you. We try to keep our agency fee to one of the lowest in the country, still maintaining superior service.
No, there are many identifying markers written in a psychological evaluation and if a copy was given to the Recipients it is very likely the identity of the donor may be compromised
The donors that have completed a prior egg donation cycle will have this information, however our first time donors are not tested until the initial medical appointment at the fertility center
We meet all of our donor candidates in person at a face to face meeting. If you would like additional information about your donor that is not on the profile, please contact us and we can assist with getting you that information
We meet with potential donors regularly and try to add new donors weekly. We are consistently adding new donors to our database so be sure to check the database frequently. If you are looking for specific traits or characteristics, please call us and advise us of what you are looking for so that we can further assist in your search
Many of our donors find us online or are referred by the friend or co-worker that has been through the process. After a donor candidate fills out our application, she is either denied or approved and we contact her to schedule a face to face meeting so we can explain the egg donation process in thorough detail and answer any questions she may have. Once we have gone over the entire process, the donor will decide if this process is right for her and if she wants to become active on our database
This depends on a few factors however, most cycles take around 3-4 months to complete
To access the database, please fill out the form HERE . Once the form is submitted you will be emailed a password to access our databases. It is quick and easy
There are many financial factors to consider with surrogacy. Compassionate Beginnings, LLC will provide you a list of expected fees involving this process but cannot give you an exact total. Our agency fee is $20,000 and includes thorough screening and evaluations of the gestational carrier.
This screening includes a background check for the carrier and her husband or partner, full psychological screening, and other details unique to this process. We meet with each potential gestational carrier and husband or partner. This will include attorney fees, gestational carrier compensation, medical insurance and other considerations such as maternity clothes allowance.
The Fertility Center caring for the intended parent or parents will provide the medical testing necessary to evaluate a potential carrier. Once this is satisfied, the necessary treatment plans will be carried out to reach the goal of pregnancy. This may be through in-vitro fertilization or other assisted reproductive measures. Once a pregnancy is confirmed and evaluated, the carrier will be cared for by a qualified OB/GYN for the remainder of her pregnancy and delivery.
Our surrogates have had extensive screening and evaluations prior to entering into our database. They are outstanding women who desire to help by providing the miraculous gift of carrying a baby for an intended couple or person. Surrogates must be between the ages of 21-38, be non-smoking and have no history of alcohol or drug abuse. She needs to be in excellent health and has carried at least one child to full term without complications. Our surrogates enjoy pregnancy and understand the joy that they are providing!
The laws regarding third party Reproduction are either non-existent or different from state to state. We recommend that your first step in this process is to contact an attorney who specializes in Family Law and Surrogacy. This will ensure you take the right steps in your journey toward parenthood. You will find information on the subject HERE
There are two types of surrogates: a traditional surrogate and a gestational carrier. Traditional surrogates are inseminated with the intended parent’s semen while providing their own egg/ovum to result in a pregnancy that is carried. A traditional surrogate may also use other means of Assisted Reproduction, while using her own Ovum or egg. A gestational carrier has no biological relationship to the baby. The pregnancy is a result of the intended parents ovum and sperm or that of a donor.
We allow our egg donors to participate in no more than six donation cycles. This is the recommended guideline set forth by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
When you are born, you have one to two million eggs. During each cycle you have multiple eggs that start to develop, and one egg or “follicle” becomes dominant and that is the egg you ovulate. The remaining eggs are absorbed.
Whether you are using birth control, have a natural cycle or are donating your eggs, you will “loose” the same amount of eggs each month. Most egg donors go on to have children of their own after the donation process. Please view the latest research on How egg donations do not impair donors future fertility
The most common side affects are similar to those experienced during your menstrual cycle. These may include headaches, bloating, mood swings, hot flashes and breast tenderness. The injections (shots) may cause slight redness or irritation at the site.
The Fertility Center providing your care will educate you on how to take the injections. Ovarian Hyper stimulation Syndrome is a more serious side affect that can be associated with the over stimulation of your ovaries by fertility medication.
The risk of the syndrome is very low and the frequent blood draws and vaginal ultrasounds done during the medial appointments will greatly decrease this risk. If this is identified as a problem, the physician providing the care will decrease the medications used or they will stop the cycle.
It is imperative that you administer your medication exactly as instructed by the reproductive physician and that attend all of your scheduled medical appointments.
Egg donors should not engage in sexual intercourse while taking the fertility medication and should not resume sexual activity until they have experienced their first menstrual cycle following the egg retrieval procedure.
Engaging in sexual activity during this time can drastically increase your chances of getting pregnant. You may resume your normal methods of birth control once you have completed a donor cycle.
If you are taking oral contraceptives (birth control) pills each month, you may still donate. You will be asked to stop your pills during the actual donation process. During the time you receive the “stimulating” medications, you should refrain from sexual intercourse. Once you have completed the donation process, you may start back on your monthly pills. It is always recommended to use a barrier contraceptive the first month of starting pills or when restarting them.
• If you are using the “patch”, it is recommended you donate after being off of this for three months.
• If you are using Depo Provera shots, you may donate three months after your LAST injection.
• If you have a Non-Hormonal IUD or Hormonal then you may participate in a donor cycle without having it removed.
• If you are using Depo-Provera or a Norplant device, it is required that you are off of it for at least one year and have had three regular menstrual cycles before participating in an egg donation cycle.
Recipient couples are asked to select one to three donors whom they find suitable. We will make every attempt to work with the first choice donor pending the outcome of the medical evaluation. If the first donor is not medially cleared to donate, we coordinate the testing of the second and third donor.
The Fertility Center working with the Intended Parents will coordinate the cycles of the donor and recipient throughout the process. Synchronization of cycles includes using a series of medications to facilitate a hospitable uterine environment for transfer of the embryos. All viable eggs produced in a single donor cycle are fertilized, and all embryos belong to the recipient couple. If there are embryos in excess of the number for safe transfer, Cryopreservation is strongly advised.
Cryopreserved embryos can be used for subsequent attempts at pregnancy whether or not the fresh transfer is successful.
At Compassionate Beginnings LLC we take pride in providing a select group of outstanding egg donor and surrogate candidates. We personally meet and interview each donor. They are primarily recruited from colleges and surrounding cities. Our database will provide information on the donors including physical characteristics (height, weight, hair color, eye color, and blood type), medical and genetic history, ethnic background, education, occupation, special interests, and a recent photo. Once you complete an application, we will provide you a username and password to view our donors.