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The Montreal Fertility Centre is currently
looking for young, intelligent women to participate in our egg donation program.
Candidates must be between the ages of 19 and 34, fluent in French or English
and reside in the Eastern part of North America.
Candidates will be expected to provide 1 passport size photograph, complete a
questionnaire, attend an initial interview, have some blood tests and undergo an
endo-vaginal ultrasound scan.
For more details do not hesitate to
contact us.
INTRODUCTION
Egg donation offers new hope for a large number of women who previously thought
they could never have children. It is for women who have lost their ovaries or
the function of their ovaries whilst young. This could be because the ovaries
have never developed properly (eg Turner's syndrome), or because of cancer,
surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy or, for a surprisingly large number of
women, because of early menopause.
In addition, many older women undergoing fertility treatment may have a better
chance of achieving pregnancy if they receive donated eggs.
A woman receiving treatment with donated eggs is referred to as the recipient.
The treatment of choice in these cases is IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) -
frequently also called the 'test tube baby technique'. In IVF donated eggs are
fertilized outside the body by the sperm of the recipient's partner and up to 2
embryos are transferred to the womb of the recipient. If all goes well, a normal
pregnancy develops and the patient will have the chance of having a baby. (Back
to the top)
How many visits will I have to make to the centre?
Under normal circumstances, there will be six to eight visits involved. The
first involves a consultation with the doctor who will record your full family
and medical history as well as explaining the potential medical and surgical
complications of the procedure. The physician will also discuss with you the
social, ethical and legal aspects of egg donation. During that visit you may
also have an endo-vaginal ultrasound scan and a blood test. A visit to the
psychologist will be arranged for an evaluation. A separate visit will be
arranged to discuss the results of your tests and your suitability to become a
donor. It is then left to your discretion as to when you wish to donate. Other
visits occur in the actual treatment cycle.
How does egg donation work?
In a menstrual cycle usually only one egg becomes fully mature. Although it is
possible to donate this one mature egg, we prefer to give egg donors fertility
drugs so that more eggs are produced. Egg development is monitored by ultrasound
scanning which enables a picture of ovaries containing the eggs to appear on a
television screen. When the eggs are mature we collect them using a needle
guided by ultrasound. This is a very short procedure which takes approximately
20 - 30 minutes to complete. A fine hollow needle is passed through the vagina
and each egg is removed in turn. Egg collection is done under intravenous
sedation and local anaesthesia. (Back to the top)
Will I be put under general anesthesia for egg retrieval?
We use intravenous (IV) sedation, which is administered by a nurse. Generally,
egg collection causes only mild discomfort similar to menstrual cramps. However,
occasionally donors experience discomfort during the procedure and in the
evening following the procedure. Also, you may experience the following
short-term side effects: nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, bloating and spotting.
Therefore, we instruct you to rest for 24 hours after egg donation. You are also
required to be picked up by somebody after the egg donation and mustn't drive
for 24 hours.
What happens to my eggs after donation?
Your eggs will be divided in 1-2 groups. Eggs from each group will be placed
together with a recipient partner's sperm in a dish in the incubator . The dish
will be inspected the following day to see whether the sperm have fertilised the
eggs. If they have, the resulting embryos will be left to grow for 3-5 days
longer and then will be transferred into a recipient's womb. Two weeks later we
will perform a pregnancy test.
What medication will I be given?
In general, donors will be prescribed three forms of medication.
Buserelin - is a subcutaneous injection given daily from day 21 of your cycle.
You will learn how to administer this medication yourself. Its function is to
suppress your own reproductive hormones so that spontaneous ovulation will not
occur in the donation cycle.
Gonadotropins - This is a course of eight to eleven daily injections. They are
administered in the same way as Buserelin. These injections contain the same
hormones that naturally stimulate the ovary but are more highly concentrated
thus allowing more than one egg to develop.
Ovidrel - 36 hours before egg collection you will be required to have a late
night injection of Ovidrel. This injection is timed so that egg maturity will be
completed but collection will occur before ovulation.
What are the possible side effects of the medication?
Buserelin works by suppressing the production of hormones from the pituitary
gland in the brain that stimulate the ovaries to develop follicles. This allows
for more control over the development of the follicles in response to the
administered fertility injections and prevents spontaneous ovulation. Some women
may experience hot flushes, feelings of depression, irritability and headache
but these symptoms generally disappear once gonadotropins are commenced.
The gonadotropin injections stimulate production of follicles and hormones in
the ovaries. Whilst receiving these injections some women may experience
abdominal bloating, breast tenderness, increase in vaginal secretions and, if
their ovaries are very swollen with a large number of follicles, some abdominal
discomfort may be noted. The majority of women do not experience side effects,
but if they do they are usually short lived and cease when treatment is
finished.
Before the final hormone injection there will be an ultrasound scan to see how
many eggs are developing on the ovaries. At this stage it may be clear that a
women has over-responded to the drugs and too many eggs have been produced. To
avoid the development of a more serious side-effect known as ovarian
hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), the final hormone injection and egg collection
may have to be cancelled. Despite careful monitoring, a small number of women
may develop a mild or moderate form of the syndrome. Ovaries may become enlarged
with small cysts and there may be abdominal discomfort. This condition is
treated by bedrest, drinking plenty of fluids and taking simple painkillers.
How long will I have to be away from work or school after the egg retrieval?
We recommend modified bed rest at home for 24 hours after egg donation.
How long will it take for my body to return to normal after egg retrieval?
You should anticipate a menstrual period within 10 days after you donate.
Following the next menstrual cycle, your body should be back to normal.
How will egg donation affect my personal lifestyle?
Once on fertility drugs, you need to ensure that you have protected sexual
intercourse for that month as well as the month following egg donation. From
start to finish, you will generally have 6-8 doctor visits; the majority of
these visits occur during the two weeks prior to egg retrieval. Visits can be
arranged according to your schedule, either early in the morning or in the
evening. Egg collections are always scheduled in the morning.
Will I be more or less fertile after egg donation?
You will be more fertile in the month following egg donation. After one month,
you will return to your normal fertility status.
How does egg donation affect my fertility in the future?
Egg donation does not appear to have any long-term effects on your fertility.
Will the donation be anonymous?
Yes, except in very rare cases. In these cases your approval and that of the
recipient couple must be obtained before any information is divulged. Your
identity will not be disclosed to any person other than the staff of the centre.
However, we will keep on our register non-identifying information about
individuals who donate eggs that may only be disclosed in the specific
circumstances regulated by Quebec Civil Code. You will be asked to complete the
registration form and send it to us by mail together with one passport size
photograph. It also allows you to give details of your occupation and interests.
Information held on the register will be kept strictly confidential. (Back to
the top)
What information will the recipient be given about me?
All information will be non-identifying. We try to match donor and recipient
physical characteristics as closely as possible but clearly advise that the
result of any matching cannot be guaranteed.
What information will I be given about the recipient?
None. All donations, except in the above mentioned rare cases, are anonymous.
You will not be told the outcome of your donation. However, you will be told how
many eggs were collected.
Will I be given counselling?
Skilled and independent counselling not involved in the procedure is mandatory.
It will ensure that you are given and have understood sufficient information to
make an informed decision. If you are in any doubt about any part of the
procedure or ethical aspects involved feel free to ask any questions.
How many times can I donate?
This decision is entirely at your discretion. However, no more than 10 children
should be born from any one donor.
How old do I have to be to donate my eggs?
We require our egg donors to be between the ages of 18 to 34 years of age.