Egg Donation Consultation
During the consultation, you and your physician decide if egg donation is the right treatment for you. This is typically the first step in the process. Multiple issues relevant to your cycle of egg donation are also reviewed, such as success rates, number of embryos to transfer, legal protection, psychological counseling and other issues that are unique to your particular medical history.
Financial Consultation
Before you start your search for a donor, you will be required to meet with a PAMF Fertility financial counselor, at no charge to you or to your insurance, to discuss the costs associated with an egg donor cycle. The financial counselor will review insurance coverage, pricing and payment options and make sure all of your financial questions are addressed. This important meeting will be extremely beneficial to you as you consider your options in finding your donor. Upon completing your Financial Consultation and Egg Donation Consultation, you will be able to reserve a PAMF Fertility donor for an upcoming cycle or move forward with selecting a donor from an outside agency.
Psychologist Consultation
A consultation with a licensed counselor who specializes in third party reproduction is critically important before beginning your egg donation cycle. You will have an opportunity to address the psychological and emotional issues related to the egg donation process. These concerns include: disclosure to child and family/friends; donor selection; loss of genetic ties to the child; readiness of all parties to use an egg donor; and important legal necessities. The counselor will issue a report indicating your readiness to move forward. This is required before treatment can begin, so it is necessary to schedule the consult after you have chosen your treatment option and before commencing treatment. Ideally, use this consult as an opportunity to gain support, information and guidance. Many patients benefit from an additional session in advance of the required consult session for help in making a decision that is best for them. Your egg donor will also be required to complete a psychological evaluation prior to starting the cycle. PAMF Fertility works with several counselors in the Bay Area who have extensive experience working with intended parents and donors who are considering egg donation. You will be provided with a referral at your Egg Donation Consultation or Cycle Review.
Choosing a Donor
You will choose a donor as outlined above, or select a donor from PAMF Fertility’s registry. You can generally expect the egg retrieval to happen about 4 to 6 months from the time you select your donor. The process can sometimes take longer if it is necessary to work around recipient or donor schedules, or if there are any unanticipated issues such as recipient or donor illness, abnormal screening tests, ovarian cysts, uterine polyps, legal disagreements or if the recipient or donor have not completed the required tests and evaluations in a timely manner.
Financial Arrangements
Before your donor can be scheduled for screening in our office, a down payment for the cycle, as discussed at your financial consultation, must be received. If you will be working with ARC (Advanced Reproductive Care, www.arcfertility.com), your donor will be scheduled for her screening appointments after PAMF Fertility has received confirmation from ARC that your arrangements have been finalized and PAMF Fertility has collected payment for any cycle services that are not included in your ARC package. If the cycle is cancelled for any reason, you will receive refund of the money left over after the charges for any services that were rendered, such as screening tests, have been processed.
Cycle Review
Once you have selected a donor, you will need to have a Cycle Review meeting with a PAMF Fertility Egg Donor Program Coordinator, who will discuss the tests that are needed, provide orders for testing, and review the logistics of your cycle including potential treatment dates. All testing and evaluations for the recipient and intended father must be current and up to date at the start of the egg donation cycle. The recipient testing requirements for egg donation IVF cycles are different than what is done prior to standard IVF treatment, so it may be necessary to repeat and/or update some testing.
History and Physical Examination
You will undergo a complete physical exam to identify any important health concerns within six months of initiating the egg donation cycle and becoming pregnant.
Blood Tests and Cultures
All blood tests and cultures must be current within one year of the anticipated embryo transfer for your egg donation cycle. Necessary updates to these evaluations will be ordered by your Egg Donor Coordinator at your Cycle Review.
Uterine Evaluation
If no uterine screening has been done within six months of donor selection, your doctor may order a sonohysterography (SHG). An SHG is an ultrasound procedure performed by a PAMF Fertility physician in our office to determine if the shape of the uterine cavity is normal. It takes about 30 minutes to perform, and the results are interpreted upon completion of the examination.
Semen Analysis
Semen is always assessed by the PAMF Fertility andrology laboratory prior to starting a treatment cycle and within 6 months of the initiation of any new treatment cycle. A semen sample can be collected in a private collection room at the lab or at home if it can be delivered within 30 minutes of collection. The laboratory assesses sperm count, sperm motility and sperm morphology to determine the best way to fertilize the eggs.
Injection Training
During an instruction class, we discuss medications and possible side effects with you and your partner. You learn how to mix and administer the various medications. The class is taught by appointment.
Legal Agreement
A legal agreement will need to be signed by you and your donor. It is recommended that you and your donor have separate attorneys to advise you during this process. Egg donor agencies may either provide you with a legal agreement or refer you to an attorney who can develop one for you. If you are using a donor from PAMF Fertility, a legal contract will be provided for you and your donor.
