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The Donor Egg Coordinator will assist the donor in every step of the donation process. The entire donation cycle takes approximately 6-8 weeks. During this time the egg donor will be taking medications to prepare her ovaries for the egg retrieval. Once matched, a calendar will be created and given to the donor detailing when to start/stop medications and the dosage. The following is a list of donor medications, reasons for the medications and possible side effects.
1. Oral contraceptive pills (Logestrel®)- The donor will take oral contraceptive pills for 10-45 days as needed to synchronize her menstrual cycle with the recipient’s menstrual cycle.
Common possible side effects: vaginal spotting, mild nausea, mood changes.
2. Leuprolide Acetate (Lupron®) -The donor will take a synthetic version of a naturally occurring gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). This injectable medicine is a small subcutaneous injection similar to insulin shots and is taken daily for 22-30 days to suppress and prepare the ovaries for stimulating the eggs to grow.
Common possible side effects: mild burning, pain or bruising at the injection site, hot flashes, mild headache.
3. FSH (Follistim®, Bravelle®, Menopur®, Gonal-F®) - Follicle stimulating hormone is an injectable medication taken for approximately 10-15 days to help stimulate the production of multiple eggs in the ovaries. While undergoing ovulation induction with FSH, the egg donor must report to our infertility clinic on a regular basis for ultrasound monitoring and estradiol hormone measurements. These "tests" are necessary to insure a proper stimulation and avoid possible FSH side effects.
Common possible side effects: small bruise at the injection site, ovarian hyperstimulation, bloating, cramping.
4. Low Dose HCG (10-20 units/day – Pregnyl®, Novarel®, Profasi® or APL®) - Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) in a low dose is an injectable medication that mimics the ovarian stimulating properties of a hormone, luteinizing hormone (LH). It is taken for approximately 10-15 days to help stimulate the ovarian egg production.
Common possible side effects: pain or irritation at the injection side.
5. High Dose HCG (10,000 units- Ovidrel®, Pregnyl®, Novarel®, Profasi® or APL®) -The donor will take one injection of high dose HCG exactly 35 hours prior to the egg retrieval to induce the stimulated eggs to complete final maturation prior to the egg retrieval.
Common possible side effects: pain or irritation at the injection side, breast tenderness.
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