Summary of the donation process

In terms of how the process works at the clinic, it will resemble something similar to this:

1. The clinic will require that you forward all your test results and medical history to them. This process can run simultaneously with the donor selection and screening process. However, the results need to be current (not older than 12 months)
2. The donors results will be available within 7 working days from her appointment date
3. As soon as this is received and we have all your completed documents and results we can plan your cycle. Your arrival can normally be 8 weeks or more from the donor’s first appointment.
4. The donor will be taking the oral contraceptive pill from day 1 of her period following her appointment. She must be on this for at least 1 month/more
5. If your cycles are regular we will use the most appropriate period date for you to start your medication to synchronize your cycle with that of the donor.
6. If your cycles are irregular we will advice that you also take the pill (if there are no contraindications) to regulate your period
7. Your medication: You will take a Leuprorelin depot injection (Lucrin) on day 1 of your period which should start between 2 and 6 weeks prior to your arrival date in India . This will suppress the release of FSH and LH in your system and therefore prevent follicles from growing and ovulation.
8. Two weeks prior to your arrival you will start with Estradiol tablets to thicken the lining of the womb.
9. The donor’s cycle will be planned so that she is on day 10 of her cycle when you have your first appointment . She starts her injections on day 3 of her cycle and will have scans on day 8, 10 and 12 with retrieval on day 14. This is the norm and depends on her response.
10. At your first appointment a lining scan will be done and you and your partner will have a consultation with the treating doctor and sign consent for the procedure.
11. If your lining is fine you will continue the same dosage of estradiol tablets.
12. The donor is normally ready for egg retrieval on her day 14 (your 5th day in India )
13. On this day your partner must provide a sample in the morning. You will also start with Progesterone injections on this day.
14. The day after the egg retrieval the lab will inform you about the fertilization and also tell you when transfer is expected.
15. Embryo transfer takes place 3-5 days after retrieval depending on the number of eggs retrieved, number that fertilized and quality and quantity of embryos on day 3
16. We always plan for day 5 transfer and advice that patients can travel home 2 days after embryo transfer.
17. This constitutes a 12 day stay in India
18. Your pregnancy test is performed 10 days after embryo transfer and can be done at home
19. If you are pregnant you will continue taking the estradiol tablets and progesterone injections for 6 more weeks and can then stop.

Appendix The donor’s psychological assessment and counselling

Although we pre-screen our egg donors as much as we are able to, we are not qualified to make a professional assessment of the donor’s eligibility to donate. This need to be done by a qualified professional. Each donor is required to have a medical and psychological assessment and counselling before being declared fit to donate. As with all people the donor's lives change and their mental and physical health also changes, hence the screening is done at the time of the match. The medical assessment needs to be repeated every time the donor donates and the psychological assessment once a year.

The purpose of the assessment is threefold:

1. The counselling aspect includes ensuring that the donor has thought through her offer to donate thoroughly and that she has the emotional capacity and social support to enter into a donation process.
2. Based on the above, the psychologist will make a determination that the donation will not be psychologically harmful to the donor – in other words – to ensure that the donor is psychologically healthy enough to donate
3. Lastly, the assessment includes gaining an accurate understanding of her and her family's mental health.

During this process a family history of mental illness/challenges may be identified. This information might not have been noted on the donor’s profile as she may not have been aware of the illness/challenge at the time of completing the agency information, or she may not have been able to provide all the relevant information with regards to the illness/challenge at the time of completing her application to be a donor.

Should the psychologist become aware of any mental illness/challenge the donor or her immediate family has she will notify you via email. This will allow you to ask any further questions you may have.