Egg Donation: Procedure and Medication

If you are thinking about becoming an egg donor but have a lot of questions about the procedure and medication involved in egg donation, you should know that you are not the only one feeling this way. Many prospective egg donors have one or more concerns that are hindering them from moving ahead. 

One of the questions we often get asked is whether the procedure is painful. The answer to this question depends on several factors such as the dosage of fertility medication a woman takes, her body’s response to them, and her pain tolerance level. Below, we have broken down the egg donation process into several categories: injections, ultrasound, retrieval, and recovery. This is to help you understand the process a little bit better. 

Injections

Will the process use many needles?: In some cases, the answer is yes. During the medical screening process, you will undergo blood work and during the stimulation phase, you will take several shots daily. You may need to take shots for up to 3 weeks based on how your body responds to the fertility medication. However, small needles are used, and you will self-administer injections in your tummy, buttocks, or upper thigh.

Some donors do not find the injections very painful. Note that if you do end up donating your eggs multiple times, your fertility medication may change with each cycle. You may experience a burning/slight tingling sensation or have small bruises at the injection site. 

The body of every woman is different. While the injections are very painful for some donors, others need a partner or friend to help them administer the injections. Many women know how much pain they can tolerate, but remember, you are going to be giving yourself shots every day. 

Ultrasounds

While taking daily injections in Egg donation process, you’ll have several appointments with your physician to see how your body is responding to the fertility medications. Your clinic will carry out Blood-work and a vaginal ultrasound. The ultrasound will check the size and count of your ovarian follicles. This will give your doctor an idea of the number of eggs you are going to produce and how many of these eggs will become mature. Also, the ultrasound results will determine whether to increase or lower your medication dosage. This is very important to keep your hormones at a level that will ensure the production of many high-quality eggs without the risk of overstimulation. A vaginal ultrasound is considered a minimally invasive procedure, and most women don’t feel any pain. As a matter of fact, some women are even curious about follicle size and count.

However, some women do consider ultrasounds invasive. Before deciding to become a donor, you first need to conduct your own research on the egg donation process to ensure it’s something you really want to do. Doing your own research and asking questions will mentally prepared for what to expect.

Retrieval and Recovery In Egg Donation Process

In Egg donation, before the egg retrieval procedure commences, you will receive a “trigger” shot medication in order to stimulate your ovaries for egg release. The egg retrieval itself takes approximately 15 to 25 minutes, and you are going to be under mild sedation. An ultrasound-guided aspiration needle will be inserted through the vagina to harvest your eggs. Most women feel no discomfort because of the anesthesia.

After the procedure, you may experience a little grogginess due to the anesthesia. You may also feel pressure in the pelvic area and/or your lower abdomen. A nurse will be beside you at this time to ensure that you are feeling fine and that everything is okay. Over the next couple of days, you will get medications to subside the pain if need be. 

Your nurse may also recommend staying home from work and/or school and rest on your egg retrieval day. Please, do as you are told and let your body recover fully. This might be the ideal time to watch your favorite movies or a replay of the TV shows you have missed. You may want to take things easy for about 7 days after the egg retrieval. That may mean taking the pain medication when needed and not doing any strenuous exercise or activity. You can go back to your everyday activities the day after the retrieval. However, some women experience cramping, bloating and other symptoms, which can make your recovery time longer. 

Common Questions About Egg Donation Process

Is the entire process painless? No. Like other medical procedures, the experience of each person is different. We are unique and our bodies are different. 

Do some women donate again? Yes, of course. For many of these compassionate women, the pain, bloating and cramps are well worth it to help bring a new baby to the world. Fill out a form to see if you qualify to become an Egg Donor with our partner Lucina Egg Bank.