Welcome to Fertility Connections

Following is a summary of the egg donation process so that you can see if you would be interested in donating.

all information is confidential

Some donations are done completely anonymously while others are done on a first-name-only basis. Some people want no contact while others talk on the phone or have a meeting in person. This is mutually agreed upon by everyone. We ensure that this agreement is kept. We also understand the need to maintain privacy regarding this process and are sensitive to the need for discreet communication.

information for proceeding

The next step is to complete a thorough medical and genetic screening. You fill out a detailed questionnaire including questions about your health, family history, interests, childhood, dreams and goals. A personal interview allows us to get to know you and for you to ask any questions.
When you meet the criteria for inclusion, a consent form is signed with Fertility Connections. We ask for fifteen to twenty current and childhood photos of yourself and a copy of your driver's license.
You are then placed in our donor books and a profile is placed on a password-protected web site with first name only. Only Intended Parents have access to this site.

You are matched when an intended family selects you as the right fit for their family. This is very arbitrary and the amount of time can vary. When you mutually agree that you would like to work together,

then:

A basic background check is run, similar to a pre-employment check.
A psychological screening is done, to make sure you understand what you are agreeing to and what that means. A psychological test may be administered.
Once psychological clearance is received, a legally binding contract is signed between you and the intended parents, giving all rights to the eggs and embryos produced to the intended parents. The contract also details financial arrangements and expectations.
You then go visit the infertility doctor for a medical screening, including a pelvic exam and blood tests. Each doctor has slightly different protocols.
When all clearances are given, a time is chosen to begin the donation cycle. Birth control pills are used to synchronize cycles with the intended mother. You will receive a $500 advance on the honorarium when you begin to give yourself a series of subcutaneous (just below the surface of the skin) injections with a small needle for a period of about three weeks. You can give yourself the injection (or can have friend help.)
You take three different medicines at different times in the cycle according to a detailed protocol. Women use these medicines in thousands of fertility cycles each year, and most women report no or mild problems taking them.
A small number (1-2 %) of women undergoing ovarian stimulation experience "hyperstimulation" of the ovaries and must be carefully monitored for possibly serious consequences. The risk of having this happen is higher in women going through in vitro fertilization and proceeding to having their own baby, so the risk may actually be lower for "ovum donors."
A total of 6-8 visits are needed to the infertility doctor's office. After the first visit, the appointment is usually early in the morning but can be at any time during the day. Most are grouped during the last week in order to carefully monitor your response to the medicines. This monitoring is done with a vaginal ultrasound and a blood test and these appointments are at offices in the San Francisco Bay area.
The egg retrieval procedure is done in the doctor's office. It takes about 15 minutes. A light anesthetic is given intravenously and the eggs are retrieved through the vagina. This is a relatively minor procedure, described by most as reasonably easy. One to two hours are spent in the recovery room resting. Someone must accompany you for this procedure and stay with you for the day. Most women are ready to return to work or school the next day. As with all medical procedures, there is a slight chance of reaction to the anesthesia or infection.

We include detailed information in the following sections regarding the egg donation process and procedure. After considering all information, please call or email us for a questionnaire and we will be happy to set up an appointment for review. We hope that we will be able to include you in this group of young women who are stepping forward to make a difference!