The following are the baseline protocols that we follow in our egg donation and surrogacy practice. These are in full complianace with the protocols that Having Babies (MHB), considers as the most critical standard for an ethical surrogacy journey:

Informed consent: The personal commitment and medical risks associated with egg donation and surrogacy, including possible complications and invasive procedures, should be fully explained by the clinic to all parties involved before any contracts are signed or medical procedures commence. Surrogates and donors should be informed about their right to receive such advice before, during and after the medical treatments from an independent medical professional that is not directly compensated by the IPs.

Medical screening: Clinics should medically screen prospective donors and surrogates to ensure they are healthy and likely to complete the process with minimal risk to themselves or the child. The screening professional should be financially independent from the agency or any entity that receives a fee for finding medically suitable candidates, to avoid a conflict of interest.

Social and psychological screening: Agencies should conduct screening and take steps to insure that surrogates and donors are aware of the potential stressors associated with the surrogacy journey, that they demonstrate sufficient social-emotional wellness to participate in the surrogacy journey, and have the required supportive environment. In particular, steps should be taken to ensure that the surrogacy journey will not adversely and irreparably affect the surrogate’s close social relationships, and that her safety and long term well-being will not be jeopardized due to social stigma or disapproval.

Medical terms: The agency should facilitate an agreement among the parties prior to contract signing regarding planned and contingent medical treatments. These should include the following: limitations to the number of embryos to be transferred, the number of transfer attempts, invasive diagnostic procedures (such as amniocentesis), selective reduction, termination, and the method of delivery.

Contracts: Providers shall not commence with any medical treatments before contracts are signed between the parties that detail all obligations, restrictions, compensations and planned medical procedures. These contracts should remain accessible to all parties throughout the journey.

Legal representation: Agencies and attorneys shall make sure that surrogates and donors have effective and independent legal representation in contract negotiations and finalization procedures. Exceptions may only be made in uncontested parentage proceedings in which no conflict of interest exists or is likely to arise among the parties, or where good faith efforts have been made to ensure such representation without success.

Financial mediators: Agreed compensation, expense reimbursement and other financial arrangements affecting the surrogate and donor should be fully disclosed to them and paid to them or accounts owned by them, directly or through an escrow account. Should mediators or other individuals claim to represent the surrogate or donor financially, to the extent permitted by law, such arrangements or commissions have to be fully disclosed to and consented by all parties in advance, and payments to mediators should not exceed those terms at any point throughout the journey.

Language: Agencies and clinics should make sure that medical risks and contracts are explained to the surrogate and donor in a language they fully understand, and that the contract they sign is available in the language of their choice. Support and coordination functions should also be offered in the donor’s and surrogate’s language, and arrangements made to facilitate direct communication between the surrogate and IPs in the mutually agreed form and scope.

Insurance: The agency should make sure that the donor and surrogate have suitable medical insurance and life insurance in effect before medical treatments commence, and last until they have fully recuperated from the donation or delivery respectively. Applicable medical insurance should be in place for the surrogate even if IPs plan to pay for all pregnancy and labor charges privately, to cover her in cases of complications or other medical problems during the journey.

Accommodations: In cases where a surrogate agrees or desires to relocate to the vicinity of the clinic for any length of time during the journey, steps should be taken to ensure that she has ongoing access to her family and other sources of support, and that she is able to leave the facility at will.

Meeting the child: Regardless of the nature of the relationship between the parties, agencies need to ensure that at the very least, the surrogate has the right to see and hold the child she carried after the delivery.

If a couple cannot be helped through procedures such as in vitro fertilization, they may want to consider using donor eggs. Donor eggs -- and sometimes donor embryos -- allow an infertile woman to carry a child and give birth. You might be a candidate for donor eggs if you have any of these conditions:

• Premature ovarian failure, a condition in which menopause has started much earlier than usual, typically before age 40
• Diminished ovarian reserve, meaning that the eggs that you have are of low quality; this can often be caused by age, since fertility drops off steeply after 40
• Genetically transmitted diseases that could be passed on to your child
• A previous history of failure with IVF, especially when your doctor thinks that the quality of your eggs may be the problem

The use of donor eggs is becoming increasingly common, especially among women over 40. In 2000, about 10% of all assisted reproduction techniques used donor eggs. And the technique enjoys the highest success rate of all fertility procedures. In fact, women using fresh embryos (not frozen), have a 43.4% chance of getting pregnant in each cycle.

Most egg donation in America and India is anonymous, but some couples prefer to know their egg donor and take legal steps to contract for the donation of the eggs. If the donor knows the couple, the donor may wish to receive updates once the child is born or may even request visits. An egg donor contract that explicitly spells out the terms of any future relationship should always be used even when the donor is a close friend or relative.

If you decide to use donor eggs, ask your fertility clinic if they have available donors that they have already screened. Since some clinics have long waiting lists, you may prefer to find a donor through one of many egg donor agencies and registries. Some people place ads for donors in college newspapers or other publications that young women read.

Finding a donor yourself can be faster than going through a busy clinic, but there is a serious disadvantage: You will have to interview the donor yourself rather than having a professional screen and evaluate her. It's crucial that donors be tested for any genetic disorders or diseases such as HIV. This is also true for women using donor sperm.

Egg donor programs vary in their requirements, but most conduct extensive screening and provide you with detailed information about the medical history, background, and education of the donor. Some programs have strict age limits; they won't accept donors older than their mid-20s. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends that egg donors be less than 34 years old.

The procedure for egg donation and implantation is similar to standard IVF treatment. After a thorough exam, the woman receiving the donor egg will need a course of hormone treatments to prepare her for the egg. If she still has functioning ovaries, she'll need estrogen and progesterone treatments in order to make her cycle coincide precisely with the donor's.

Meanwhile, the donor will also be treated with hormones to induce super ovulation. Once she is ready, the eggs will then be retrieved and fertilized. A few days later, the embryo or embryos are implanted in the recipient's uterus. She will continue to take hormones for about 10 weeks afterward.

Donor eggs can be frozen for later use. But the chances of success are lower with frozen eggs.
A newly available option is shared embryo implantation. In this technique, you use a previously frozen embryo that was left over from another couple's IVF treatments. That couple may have gotten pregnant, or decided against IVF. Whatever the reason, they've granted the clinic the right to give their leftover embryos to other couples. But keep in mind this one drawback: Donated embryos often come from older couples who were probably coping with infertility problems themselves. Success is less likely than with the eggs of a young and healthy egg donor.

There are many potential legal issues that arise when egg donors are used by infertile couples. The egg donor contract should explicitly state that the donor waives all parental rights forever. It should state that any children born from the donated eggs are the legitimate children of the prospective parents.

Couples using donor eggs must usually bear all costs. Still, investigate your insurance company's coverage of these procedures and ask for a written statement of your benefits. Typically, you'll be paying for your own procedure, as well as for the donor's medical expenses, including any additional expenses due to complications that may arise from the egg retrieval process. These complications can include bleeding, infection, and injury to the bladder or abdominal organs.

The donor usually also receives a fixed fee for her participation. This amount should be carefully spelled out in the contract that the couple and the donor sign. How the payment is made (i.e. partial payments before and after egg retrieval) depends on the specifics of the contract. The contract also spells out what will happen in the event the donor withdraws before her eggs are retrieved.

Since you may not get pregnant with the first treatment, you may want to ask the donor if she will donate eggs a second time and include that requirement in the contract. Networking with other couples who've gone through infertility procedures is also a good idea. They may be able to share helpful tips and hints you won't find elsewhere.

One of the main benefits of this new reproductive technology is its high rate of success. The principle seems to be that the age of the egg, not the uterus, is the critical factor. Success rates for donor egg IVF can be three to ten times higher than with regular IVF. Much of this success is due to the use of young, normally fertile donors.

Donor egg IVF offers some possible advantages over adoption. One is that couples have complete control of the pregnancy. The woman can be sure of getting excellent prenatal care and be sure to avoid alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, or unnecessary medications.

Whether one turns to egg donation or not depends on the medical diagnosis. In consultation with your physician, the decision should be made whether you are psychologically prepared to be a candidate. This means being ready to make a commitment to parenting a child that is genetically related to only one of you. It also involves asking yourself and your partner some hard questions, which deserve some very honest answers. These questions will be extremely difficult ones. Who to tell or not to tell; when to tell; the non-genetic relationship disclosure issues, and what to tell the child, are all important questions that need to be discussed.

If you have any questions concerning the Egg Donation Program, please feel free to call our office for more information. We look forward to working with those patients who find egg donation to be their option and making their experience a rewarding one.

Donor egg IVF was initially developed to treat women with premature ovarian failure, women who didn't have any eggs and couldn't become pregnant. New technologies have greatly expanded this capability. Donor egg IVF is now used for women who are carriers of genetic diseases, women who have had multiple failed cycles of IVF, women with impaired ovarian function, or for older healthy women. This treatment also heightens the chance of pregnancy for women whose attempts at IVF have revealed a poor response to fertility medications, or eggs that did not fertilize well or form viable embryos.

Perhaps a preface to this guide should be a reminder that fertility and achieving a pregnancy is not an exact science. There are so many unknown factors influencing fertility, that even with all the advances in reproductive technology, conception remains as much an art as a science.

Each doctor has his own protocol, and the couple or donor's reaction to the drugs may result in a change in protocol. Following is a sample schedule for an egg donor and an egg recipient couple. The start of a menstrual cycle is referred to as DAY ONE (1) of the cycle. In an average 28-day cycle, a woman will most likely ovulate around day 14. This means the egg retrieval will usually take place on day 14 and the transfer will take place on day 16 or 17.

According to the treating physician's instruction, the egg donor will undergo ovulation induction. It is a procedure that involves the administration of fertility drugs to produce multiple egg (follicle) development. Fertility drugs are administered by injection or sometimes taken orally. There are two drug protocols that physicians use:

FLARE UP

This protocol begins on the third day of the donor's menstrual cycle, and continues for seven -to ten days. During this time hormone levels will be monitored by means of blood tests and follicle development will be followed by means of transvaginal ultrasounds.

DOWN REGULATION

This protocol begins around the 20th day of the previous cycle. The physician will temporary "turn off" the ovaries using Luprolide to promote better egg development.

When the follicles containing the eggs reach the requisite size, an injection of HCG is administered to prepare them for aspiration. The egg retrieval/aspiration is performed in a hospital like facility under sedation. A vaginal ultrasound probe is utilized for aspiration of all ovarian follicles. This is a non-surgical procedure that takes about twenty to thirty minutes, depending on how many eggs are retrieved. However, the donor should plan to spend at least three hours at the clinic. After a brief period in the recovery room, the donor will go home that same day. It is important that you do not blame yourselves or each other, if a pregnancy is not achieved in any given cycle, Fertility is not an "all or nothing" proposition - it's a matter of degree. Unfortunately, there are factors that are unknown and therefore, no one has any control over that which can affect conception. Following is a sample synchronization and aspiration schedule for an egg donor and an egg recipient couple. Kindly note that this protocol may be very different for a specific couple, depending upon their medical history and is being provided for illustration purposes only:

DAY 1: Donor undergoes an ultrasound before the drug is administered to examine her ovaries and blood tests recipient to enable doctors to check her hormone levels. She is provided with medication to down regulate her system. (start of cycle) The drug is administered to the Recipient to synchronize her menstrual cycle with the donor's cycle.

Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5: Recipient begins taking Estradiol pills to develop the lining of her uterus, known as the endometrium.

Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10: Donor undergoes another ultrasound and blood tests. She continues taking medication and receives a nine day supply of an ovulation stimulant that will cause her to produce a large quantity of eggs.

Day 11: At home, the donor receives her first injection of medication.
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15
Day 16
Day 17
Day 18 Donor: More blood testing and an ultrasound to measure the size of her eggs

Day 19
Day 20: After undergoing another ultrasound to check on the development of her eggs, the donor receives an injection of HCG, a pregnancy hormone that helps prepare her eggs for retrieval.

Day 21 : Recipient receives Progesterone, a drug that further prepares the lining of her uterus for implantation of the embryo(s).

Day 22 Donor undergoes an outpatient procedure in which eggs are removed from her ovaries. A long needle removes maturing eggs from her ovaries. The microscopic eggs are sucked through the long needle into a test tube. That evening the eggs are placed in a test tube and inseminated with sperm from the recipient's husband in preparation for implantation.

Day 23:
Day 24: Approximately four of the best-fertilized eggs, or embryos, are implanted into the recipient's uterus. The other embryos had been frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen the day before.

Day 25 Rest day for recipient
Day 26: Rest day for recipient
Day 27: Ok to resume normal activities for recipient including travel

You will receive light IV sedation during the egg retrieval process, but you may have some discomfort afterward. Every person has a different experience but most are able to return to work the next day, and others may need an additional day to recover from the procedure.

We try to schedule your donation at an IVF retrieval location near where you live. Throughout the process, you will be monitored at our physician's office.

No. You are born with over 3 million eggs. By the time you start menstruation, you may have over 300,000 eggs. After starting her menstrual cycle, a woman loses about 1,000 (immature) eggs every month. By the time you are 21, many women have over 200,000 eggs.

A typical egg donation is only between 12 to 30 eggs depending on your fertility level. Each month many eggs are dissolved and absorbed by ovulating women’s bodies prior to the selection of the single egg that will be ovulated. Fertility medications preserve a portion of these excess eggs that the body would have ordinarily discarded. Therefore no additional eggs are used up in the process.

Yes, provided you are no longer breastfeeding and have not breastfed for at least two months or have had two regular periods

Yes, you can donate with an IUD.
You can donate if your tubes are tied.

You will need to come in for approximately 6 to 10 appointments until your eggs have fully developed.

When you come in for a morning monitoring appointment at our physicians office, blood will be drawn to assess your hormone levels.
Following the blood draw, your ovaries will be evaluated using an ultrasound. This ultrasound will show how your follicles are growing and help evaluate what dosage of medication to give you that evening.
You might have to come in after 3 or 4 nights of medication towards the beginning of the cycle but nearing the end you will be in every day or every other day. The donation cycle usually lasts for 10-14 days and you will get an approximate calendar to follow. You will be contacted every day you are in for monitoring to be given the dosage of medication to take that night as well as to confirm your next appointment.

As with any medical procedure, there are risks involved. You will have an opportunity to discuss the potential risks with a clinician during your screening process. The following risks are ones that you should consider:

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS):
Occasionally excess fluid from the ovaries will transfer into the abdominal cavity causing moderate to severe bloating. If a significant amount of fluid is present, it will be removed in a procedure very similar to the egg retrieval and IV fluids are given in replacement. In mild to moderate cases of OHSS, the fluid is slowly reabsorbed over the course of several days. Approximately 1-3% of women will experience significant OHSS. In order to reduce this risk, donors may be given different medications or a change in protocol to help eliminate or significantly decrease the risk of donors having OHSS.

Ovarian Torsion:
Very rarely the ovary can twist on itself causing a sudden onset of severe pain on one or both sides. The risk of ovarian torsion is less than 1%. For a period of time, donors are asked to discontinue activities such as running, moderate to high impact aerobic activity, horseback riding and strenuous lifting to further decrease this risk.

Medication Side Effects:
The medications utilized during a donation cycle are generally well tolerated. If you were to experience side effects, they may include bloating, moodiness, cramping, aching, PMS-like symptoms, headaches, nausea, hot flashes or breast tenderness.

Screening involves a physical and pelvic exam, infectious disease testing, genetic screening and a psychological evaluation including a psychological health history and an evaluation of your comfort level with the donor egg program. The genetic and infectious disease testing is very extensive and implements the most advanced technology available today. All appointments will be arranged for you or performed on site or at the physicians office.

Due to the dedication, time and effort required by participation in the donor egg program, you will be adequately compensated for each donation cycle you complete. Compensation is paid within one week of completion of donation.

We encourage you to donate multiple times, but will always be in close contact with you after each cycle to inquire about your interest in another cycle. All fees and medical costs related to your egg donation are paid by Indian Egg Donors

Compensation for egg donors can vary widely depending on a number of factors, such as the donor's location, the agency or clinic coordinating the donation, the donor's personal characteristics (e.g., education, physical characteristics, etc.), and other factors. That said, it is not uncommon for egg donors to receive compensation in the range of several thousand dollars for their time and effort. Some egg donor programs may offer higher compensation to donors who meet certain criteria, such as having a high GPA or being a particularly good candidate for egg retrieval. It is important to keep in mind that egg donation is a serious medical procedure that carries some risks, so it is important to carefully consider all aspects of the process before deciding to become an egg donor.

The purpose of an egg donor is to provide eggs for use in assisted reproduction, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). In these procedures, eggs are retrieved from the donor and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory setting, with the resulting embryos being transferred to the uterus of the person or couple seeking to become pregnant. Egg donation may be used to help individuals or couples who are unable to conceive using their own eggs, due to factors such as advanced maternal age, premature menopause, or a diagnosis of infertility. It may also be used by same-sex male couples or single men who wish to have a biological child using a surrogate mother.

It is not uncommon for people to have concerns about the honesty of egg donors, as the process of egg donation involves a significant personal and medical commitment, and it is important to have accurate information about the donor's medical and personal history. However, it is important to note that reputable egg donor programs and agencies have processes in place to carefully screen and evaluate potential donors, and most donors are honest and upfront about their medical and personal history. That said, it is always a good idea for intended parents to carefully review all information provided about a potential egg donor and to ask any questions or raise any concerns they may have before proceeding with the donation process. It is also important for egg donors to understand the importance of honesty and to provide accurate and complete information to the best of their knowledge.

There are a few steps you can take to become an egg donor:

• 1. Research the process: Make sure you understand what being an egg donor entails and whether it is right for you.
• 2. Find a reputable agency: There are many agencies that can help you become an egg donor. Look for an agency that is reputable and has a good track record.
• 3. Meet the eligibility requirements: Egg donor programs have specific eligibility requirements that you must meet in order to be accepted as a donor. These requirements may include age, medical history, and lifestyle factors.
• 4. Complete the application process: If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will need to complete an application and go through the screening process. This will typically include a physical exam, psychological evaluation, and genetic testing.
• 5. Donate eggs: If you are accepted as a donor, you will undergo the egg retrieval process, which involves taking medications to stimulate egg production and having the eggs surgically removed.

It's important to note that the process for becoming an egg donor can vary depending on the agency and the country you are in. It is a serious commitment and requires a lot of time and effort, so be sure to carefully consider whether it is right for you before proceeding.

If you are interested in becoming an egg donor, there are a few steps you can take to get started:

• 1. Research the process: It is important to understand the medical and legal aspects of egg donation before moving forward. You can learn more about the process by speaking with a fertility clinic or by doing research online.
• 2. Find a fertility clinic: You will need to work with a fertility clinic that has a egg donor program. You can search for fertility clinics in your area that offer egg donation services, or you can work with a fertility clinic that is located in a different city.
• 3. Meet with a fertility specialist: You will need to meet with a fertility specialist to discuss your interest in becoming an egg donor and to determine whether you are a good candidate for the process. The fertility specialist will review your medical history and perform a physical examination to ensure that you are healthy enough to donate eggs.
• 4. Complete the screening process: If you are deemed a good candidate for egg donation, you will need to complete a screening process, which may include blood tests, a psychological evaluation, and an infectious disease screening.
• 5. Donate your eggs: If you are accepted into the egg donor program, you will undergo a series of hormone injections to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs. Once the eggs are mature, they will be retrieved through a minor surgical procedure.

It is important to note that egg donation is a time-intensive process and may require you to take time off work or school. Additionally, the process may be emotionally and physically demanding. It is important to consider these factors before deciding whether egg donation is right for you.

The process of egg donation involves a series of hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, and the injections may cause some discomfort. The retrieval of the eggs is performed under conscious sedation, so the individual should not feel any pain during the procedure. However, some individuals may experience discomfort or pain after the procedure.

t is important to note that the egg donation process may be emotionally and physically demanding, and some individuals may experience side effects from the hormone injections, such as bloating, mood changes, or breast tenderness. It is important to discuss any potential side effects with the fertility specialist and to follow their instructions for managing any discomfort.

Overall, the egg donation process is generally well-tolerated, and most individuals are able to return to their normal activities within a day. However, every individual's experience may be different, and it is important to carefully consider the potential risks and benefits before deciding whether egg donation is right for you.

If you are interested in becoming an egg donor, there are a few steps you can take to get started:

• 1. Research the process: It is important to understand the medical and legal aspects of egg donation before moving forward. You can learn more about the process by speaking with a fertility clinic or by doing research online.
• 2. Find a fertility clinic: You will need to work with a fertility clinic that has a egg donor program. You can search for fertility clinics in your area that offer egg donation services, or you can work with a fertility clinic that is located in a different city.
• 3. Meet with a fertility specialist: You will need to meet with a fertility specialist to discuss your interest in becoming an egg donor and to determine whether you are a good candidate for the process. The fertility specialist will review your medical history and perform a physical examination to ensure that you are healthy enough to donate eggs.
• 4. Complete the screening process: If you are deemed a good candidate for egg donation, you will need to complete a screening process, which may include blood tests, a psychological evaluation, and an infectious disease screening.
• 5. Donate your eggs: If you are accepted into the egg donor program, you will undergo a series of hormone injections to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs. Once the eggs are mature, they will be retrieved through a minor surgical procedure.

It is important to note that egg donation is a time-intensive process and may require you to take time off work or school. Additionally, the process may be emotionally and physically demanding. It is important to consider these factors before deciding whether egg donation is right for you.