Becoming an Egg Donor

Our donors are carefully screened and are selected by couples trying to conceive. To become a donor with Cleveland Conception Connection, Inc., a woman must meet the following criteria at a minimum:

• Ages 21-32 years old
• College educated or pursuing a college degree or higher
• Physically, emotionally and reproductively healthy
• Non-smoker
• No pot (marijuana) or drug use
• Understanding that when eggs are donated, they no longer belong to the donor and donor has no connection to any future embryos, fetuses or children
• Have both ovaries
• Have regular periods
• Height and weight appropriate
• Mature and can tackle new situations
• Donor feels comfortable injecting hormones, undergoing transvaginal ultrasounds, blood tests, and undergo extraction of eggs under twightlight anesthesia.
• Dependable and able to keep appointments
• Have no history of genetically transmitted diseases
• Have no history of sexually transmitted diseases
• Never had a positive AIDS or HIV test
• Have reliable transportation
• Never taken recreational drugs

If you meet the above criteria, you may fill out the following application and submit it back to us via the Internet.

After you have completed the application electronically, you will download, sign and send in forms at the end of the application. In addition, you will send in at least 3 photos of yourself, including one from the 1st year of life, gradeschool, teen, and a current photo. You will then be entered into the donor database on the website. Your pictures will be posted on a secure site, and the recipients will view them alone with your application. They will only have non-identifying information about you.

When a recipient couple chooses a donor, the donor will be notified and will be asked if she is still available to donate eggs. The donor will sign a contract anonymously with the recipient indicating their agreement to be their donor.

After the donor has signed a contract, she will meet with the psychiatrist, Jennifer Rosenberg, M.D. to ensure that she understands the emotional and psychological ramifications of the donation process and to discuss any concerns she may have. If a donor is married, her spouse is required to attend the psychiatric evaluation with her. If the donor has a significant other, her significant other may be required to meet with Dr. Rosenberg, if requested by Cleveland Conception Connection, Inc. or the recipient couple. If requested by the recipient couple, the donor may be required to take an IQ test or other psychological tests. The donor (and spouse if applicable) will also take a psychological test called the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI).

Once the donor passes the psychiatric evaluation, she will have an appointment with the infertility specialists who will perform a physical exam and review the procedures and potential risk factors associated with the egg donation process.

The potential donor will have her blood drawn to test her physical capability of undergoing follicle stimulation and oocyte (egg) retrieval procedures. In addition, blood may be tested for sexually transmissible diseases. A drug screening will be tested for substance abuse and will be repeated at six-month intervals or at any point the infertility specialists or Cleveland Conception Connection, Inc. decides to obtain it. Medical screening may be repeated at six-month intervals.

Genetic screening may be performed to identify if individuals carry genetically transmissible diseases, such as thalasemia, sickle cell anemia, Tay Sachs disease, or cystic fibrosis. Chromosomal analyses may be requested.

All procedures will be performed by the infertility specialists, and are explained briefly below.

After the procedure, you will be financially compensated for your time. Shortly after the retrieval, you will be notified whether a pregnancy was achieved as a result of your generous contribution.

A Brief Introduction to the Oocyte Donation Procedure

All procedures will be performed by infertility specialists with whom you will put in contact by Cleveland Conception Connection, Inc..  They will review all procedures and risks involved with potential donors.   Cleveland Conception Connection, Inc. is a matching agency only and does not administer medication or perform any procedures.  Please review the following information provided by Infertility Specialists to help you understand the procedures involved with egg donation.

Time Commitment

After completion of the screening process, egg donation can be accomplished in three to six weeks. You may require a blood test on or before day 21 of your menstrual cycle to determine ovulation. You will be given an injection of Lupron and about one week later, your period will begin. For the next seven to 10 days, you will need to plan to visit the clinic every two to three days for blood tests and ultrasounds. These can be done as early as 7:00 a.m. and should take less than ½ hour. The exact date of retrieval depends on your body’s response to the medication. Therefore, you will need to be prepared to cancel your usual daily activities on short notice for the day of the egg retrieval (some patients also want to stay off of work the day following the retrieval). You will be instructed about days you need to restrict exercise and sexual intercourse. You will be scheduled for a follow-up visit two weeks after the retrieval when the effects of the medication should have worn off.

Hormone Stimulation

Under normal conditions, a woman develops and releases one egg per month. The process by which eggs normally develop is regulated by hormones secreted by the pituitary gland. During an egg donation cycle, a medication is injected to suppress the secretion of your hormones by the pituitary gland. You will then receive daily subcutaneous injections of hormones, which contain the necessary pituitary hormones and stimulate multiple eggs to develop. These injections are an imperative part of the egg donation process because they increase the number of eggs available for fertilization and thus increase the success rate of the egg donation procedure. These subcutaneous injections are similar to insulin and allergy shots and are typically not at all uncomfortable. You will be taught to administer these yourself.

Monitoring the Treatment Cycle

The infertility specialists with whom you will meet, will monitor your response to the injections by ultrasounds and blood tests every two to three days for approximately seven to 10 days. When the eggs have reached the appropriate maturity, another hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is injected to stimulate the final ripening of the eggs. All risks and procedures will be explained by the infertility specialists. The blood tests and ultrasounds are done between 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. You can choose the time, but you must be available for the ultrasounds and blood tests for all the mornings they are needed.

Egg Retrieval

Approximately 36 hours after the HCG injection, you will be scheduled for the egg retrieval procedure. You will not eat or drink anything after midnight before the retrieval. You will arrive at the procedure area 1½ hours before the procedure is scheduled to start. You will have an IV started. You will receive sedation for the procedure and a nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist will be present to care for you and keep you comfortable. An ultrasound probe will be used to guide the egg retrieval. A needle is passed through the wall of your vagina to draw out fluid containing the eggs. Following the procedure, you will recover for approximately one hour and then you will be released. Someone must be available to drive you home.