Saturday 21 June 2014

What You Should Know About Egg Donation As An Assisted Reproductive Option

Posted by Unknown at 13:25
By Heidi J. Dillon


Some women wish to become pregnant having difficulty in doing so because of failure to produce healthy ova or eggs. In such cases, conception may still be possible through egg donation, a process which involves another woman providing egg cells which will then be inseminated and implanted into the recipient's womb.

A woman who decides that using an egg donor is the best choice for her, is likely getting older and either no longer ovulates on a regular basis or she may be worried about using her own eggs because of her advanced age. Some women may have had their ovaries surgical removed, or they may have undergone cancer treatment that has rendered them infertile. A physician can refer patients to a fertility center that offers this procedure.

Generally this type of fertility treatment is fairly expensive, as are most assisted reproductive technology procedures. The price may range from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the facility and physician. Normally this cost encompasses each step of the process from initial screening through to implantation and the donor's compensation. A legal contract covering rights and responsibilities will need to be signed by both parties.

The process of selecting a donor is done anonymously except in cases where a friend or family member agrees to act as a donor. Potential recipients can select donors who meet their preferred criteria in terms of appearance, education, ethnicity and such, they must also prepare a letter introducing themselves that will be given to any donors of interest. Donors who accept a recipient's request are considered a match.

It is necessary to first ensure that the donor's and recipient's menstrual cycles are synchronized. This is achieved by assessing the donor's ovarian function at the onset of her period using ultrasound and blood work, and by putting her on birth control pills to control its timing. Down the road, this woman will also need to take other pills and injections.

Over a month's time, the donor will not only need to take oral contraceptives, but she will also need to inject herself with the hormone gonadotropin daily in order to suppress her natural ovulation cycle. After these two medications are discontinued, the donor will menstruate at a pre-determined time in sync with the recipient's cycle, this is necessary for successful implantation.

Next, the donor will inject herself each day with drugs to stimulate her ovaries to produce multiple eggs, the development of which will be closely monitored through ultrasound and blood tests throughout the process. When the eggs are fully matured, she will inject herself with human chorionic gonadotropin to facilitate their release, just over a day later they will be harvested and fertilized with sperm. The recipient also takes hormone injections to prevent ovulation and thicken her uterine lining. Two to four embryos are implanted into the recipient's womb through a cervical catheter after several days.

Many patients who undergo this procedure successfully conceive, although all in vitro fertilization techniques carry the potential risk for failure. Some women may experience side effects from the fertility hormones, including breast tenderness, moodiness, hot flashes, and rarely ovarian hyper-stimulation, causing swelling and discomfort.




About the Author:




0 comments:

Have any question? Feel Free To Post Below:

 

© 2013. All Rights Reserved | Your Knowledge Space

Home | | Top