1) How do I choose an egg donor?
Every prospective parent has different criteria which he or she believes is most important. You need to determine what those requirements will be. Some prospective parents look for an egg donor with similar traits as themselves or their partner such as: ethnicity, hair color, eye color, dimples, height, etc. Some are more interested in the egg donors talents, intellect, family history, or athletic ability. Others just pick someone whom they believe looks like a nice person. It really is up to you. When you have an idea of the type of egg donor you would like to find, you may log onto our egg donor database for abbreviated profile information or contact us at Ova the Rainbow and we will send you abbreviated egg donor profiles via email, mail, or in person for your review.
2) Will I meet the egg donor?
That depends on the program you choose to work within. We offer three programs: Open, Closed, and Flexible.
Open Donation-a program in which egg donors and prospective parents exchange personal contact information and photos. Whether or not you have an ongoing relationship with the egg donor depends on what you and the egg donor decide. The egg donor may request statistics regarding the outcome of her donation., but our agency will limit the information given to whether or not a pregnancy resulted. Anything more detailed would be decided by you and the egg donor prior to signing contracts.
Closed Donation-(anonymous) a program in which egg donors and prospective parents do not exchange personal contact information (including names). The egg donor does not receive photos of the prospective parents. You, the prospective parent, may receive photos of the egg donor, if requested. In a Closed donation, the egg donor may or may not receive statistics regarding her donation. If the egg donor wishes to know the outcome of her donation we suggest that she be told whether or not a pregnancy was achieved.
Flexible Donation-a program in which egg donors and prospective parents are not strongly in favor or opposed to open or closed donations. You may opt for this choice if you want a wider variety of prospective egg donor profiles. You should be certain that you are ready for either program. Egg donors may or may not receive statistics regarding the donation.
If you are not sure which program will best suit you or your future family, we can arrange a consultation with a local counselor to help you.
3)What information will be given to prospective egg donors?
That depends on which program you choose. A prospective egg donor in our Open program will be given a brief synopsis of you and your desire to work with her. She will not be given personal information, names, or photos until you agree to work together. In our Closed program, the egg donor will be notified that you are interested in her profile. She will only be told your gender and relationship status. The egg donor will not receive your personal information, names, or photos. At Ova the Rainbow, all of the egg donors and prospective parents are listed anonymously in our filing system.
4)Do I have to be established with a fertility doctor prior to seeking an egg donor at Ova the Rainbow, Inc.?
Absolutely not, you may choose your egg donor and we will help you locate and establish a relationship with a fertility specialist.
5)What screening process do I have to go through?
This can vary from clinic-to-clinic depending on which fertility specialist you choose to work with. You may need to have a physical exam, cultures, blood tests, and a psychological consultation. At Ova the rainbow, we don't require up front screening for our prospective parents.
6)What screenings will be required of my egg donor candidate?
Every egg donor is required to undergo a physical exam, blood tests, cultures, and psychological screening.
7)What happens during the egg donation cycle and retrieval?
Each fertility specialist has his or her own protocol but the following is a routine cycle regimen: The egg donor is put on birth control pills for a few weeks. Usually there is a recipient cycling with the egg donor, an intended mother or a surrogate. Both women then begin Lupron in order to get "in cycle" with each other. The egg donor begins receiving daily injections of fertility medications (Gonal-F, Follistim, Repronex, Pergonal, etc.) which helps mature the follicles in her ovaries. These injections usually continue for 7-12 days. The egg donor will be monitored daily for several days prior to the optimal day for an injection of a medication called HCG which prepares the ovaries to release mature follicles. When the HCG is given the egg harvest or retrieval is scheduled. During this procedure the egg donor is given a light anesthesia. A needle guided by ultrasound is passed through the top wall of the egg donor's vagina, through her uterus, into her ovary, and finally into the fluid-filled follicle. The follicles containing the eggs are vacuumed out and the fluid is then given to the laboratory for preparation and fertilization. This process may seem detailed but really is quite simple, painless, and takes less than 30 minutes. The egg donor will rest in the doctor's office after the retrieval while recovering from the anesthesia. She will be able to leave 60-90 minutes after the procedure.
8)What can Ova the Rainbow, Inc. do for me?
We offer egg donor and surrogate matching services including: finding your ideal egg donor or surrogate, coordinating screenings, managing trust accounts, and following all medical appointments. We will be available to you, the egg donor, and/or surrogate during the entire process. We will guide you from start to finish. We offer professional referrals to reputable attorneys, psychologists, and physicians.
9)What fees are involved?
Egg donor fee and her expenses, Ova the Rainbow, Inc.'s fee, medical and psychological screening fees, attorney fees for both parties and parentage, fertility specialist's fees, and cost of medications. If you are interested in current fee schedules for Ova the Rainbow, Inc. and our egg donors please contact us. We will gladly give you an estimation of all other fees involved.
10)Is there a prospective parent's waiting list for egg donors or surrogates?
Usually not for egg donors, unless you are requesting a hard-to-find donor (ex-one of Asian or Jewish descent). There is currently no waiting list at Ova the Rainbow, Inc. for surrogates.
If your question isn't answered here, please contact us.