Anonymous Egg Donation

Despite patience, enthusiasm and many sorts of fertility treatments, some women are unable to conceive using their own eggs. Usually these women have been identified as having "decreased ovarian reserve", a condition best associated with ageing but sometimes reflecting previous cancer treatment, ovarian surgery or unknown factors. Decreased ovarian reserve is diagnosed by means of blood tests (FSH, AMH, inhibin B, clomiphene challenge test), ultrasound findings (antral follicle count, ovarian volume) and diminished response to ovulation stimulation (response to fertility drugs). If childlessness and adoption are not suitable options for women with decreased ovarian reserve, egg donation provides another possibility.

Women Helping Women
Donated eggs may be obtained from three sources: known relatives/friends, other infertile patients who are undergoing egg collection for their own purposes and anonymous paid donors. A younger sister, niece or friend may be an excellent source of eggs. Obviously, not everyone has this available and willing source of eggs. We consider "sharing" eggs with another fertility patient to be exploitive, a procedure to be avoided. Therefore, for many patients seeking donated eggs a paid donor is the right choice.

The ideal paid donor is young-- between 21 and 32 years old. She must be healthy, having no medical or psychological problems which might complicate her receiving fertility drugs and undergoing an egg collection procedure. Moreover, she must have no genetic disorders or predispositions which increase the risk that her eggs might lead to problems for the offspring. Most of all, the donor must have the spirit and willingness to offer the gift of her eggs to a women who she will never meet. The donor must realize that she will never know for certain the result of her efforts, never meet the child who might be born to the recipient.

Who Can Become an Egg Donor?
Non-smoking women between the ages of 21 and 32 are candidates for egg donation. A medical team consisting of physicians, psychologists, and nurses carefully screen potential donors . Potential donors undergo medical and genetic history taking, psychological testing, blood testing, ultrasound studies and a physical exam. All donors are screened for infectious diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, and common genetic disorders . All donor information remains confidential.

What is the Time Commitment?
If a donor passes her screening process, she is usually matched with an "unknown" recipient within a few months. Because we are not able to utilize eggs in their resting state within the ovary we prescribe injectible fertility drugs in a rather complicated program carefully supervised by experienced nurses and doctors. Birth control pills and another medicine to prepare the ovaries for stimulation are often administered the month before the actual ovarian stimulation. The process to grow and collect the eggs takes about 12 days. A few brief office visits are required during this time frame. Once the eggs are retrieved, the donor is compensated for her time.

Are Donors Compensated for Their Time?
Although we realize that your "gift" is invaluable, Main Line Fertility acknowledges your commitment and time through a compensation package totaling $5000. Additionally, all screening tests and physical exams are complimentary to the donor.

Getting Started
Contact Dr. John J. Orris, the Director of the anonymous egg donation program, Amy Fisher, MSN, CRNP, the anonymous egg donation nurse coordinator, or call our egg donor hotline at 610-526-8958. Potential donors will be screened immediately and can be seen at one of our three convenient locations in West Chester, Paoli, and Bryn Mawr, PA.