Egg Donation

Egg donation gives you access to healthy young eggs from carefully-screened donors, so it’s an ideal pathway to parenthood for many individuals and couples who struggle with infertility. At La Jolla IVF, renowned fertility expert David B. Smotrich, MD, FACOG, works with the best egg donor agencies to help his patients become parents. Call the La Jolla, California, office or book an appointment online now.

How does egg donation work?

Egg donors take medication that stimulates their ovaries, causing them to make more eggs than usual in the upcoming cycle. 

As the eggs grow, the intended recipient (the parent themselves or their surrogate) takes estrogen and progesterone hormones. This creates the best possible implantation environment. 

Egg retrieval involves a procedure to remove the eggs using an ultrasound-guided needle. After fertilizing the eggs in the lab, they’re allowed to grow to around day five or six (the blastocyst stage), which is the optimal time to transfer them into the intended parent or their chosen gestational surrogate.  

How are egg donations screened?

Egg donor agencies maintain strict protocols around donor selection and screening. This includes:

• Questionnaire about history of birth defects and hereditary diseases
• Medical history and physical exam
• Social history
• Psychological screening
• Infectious disease screening

La Jolla IVF also examines medical and social history, including a physical exam performed by Dr. Smotrich. 

How do I choose an egg donor?

You have a lot of choices when it comes to selecting your egg donor. La Jolla IVF maintains a list of trustworthy egg donor agencies they’ve worked with in the past, and they’re happy to share that information with clients. 

As you browse the catalog of options, you’ll get information that can help you decide, including the donor’s:

• Physical appearance
• Ethnicity
• Interests
• Talents

Dr. Smotrich also recommends looking at the donor’s reason for donating eggs. In general, those with motivations beyond money — for example, if the donor says they feel strongly about helping give others the gift of parenthood — are more likely to follow the treatment protocol strictly.

What is a proven egg donor?

A proven egg donor is one who donated before, and those eggs resulted in pregnancy. The information from that previous cycle is extremely valuable because it removes a lot of the guesswork from the next cycle.

With a proven donor, Dr. Smotrich can examine medical records to see how they respond to ovary-stimulating medications and tailor the next cycle. Proven donors have higher pregnancy rates. 

But, of course, first-time donors can still result in a pregnancy. So, you don’t have to choose a proven donor; however, it’s one more factor you can potentially use to get the best possible results. 

To learn more about egg donation, call La Jolla IVF or book an appointment online now.