New York Continuum Reproductive Center - St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital NY

Continuum
Reproductive Center
425 West 59th Street Ste. 5A
New York, New York 10019
Phone: (212) 523-7751
Fax: (212) 523-8348

Our Expert Team

Diagnosis

Treatment Overview

In Vitro Fertilization

Egg Donation

Additional Services

Patient Resources

Financial Information

Appointments

Overview of InfertilityDefinition & CausesAgeOvulation DisordersPolycystic Ovary SyndromeFallopian-Tube DisordersMale InfertilityUterine FactorsUnexplained InfertilityOur Expert TeamAbout Our TeamMartin D. Keltz, MDDaniel E. Stein, MDEmbryologistsNursesDiagnosisInitial Office VisitHormonal EvaluationSemen AnalysisPatient PreparationPost-coital TestOvulation TestsSaline SonohysterographyHysterosalpingogramEndometrial BiopsySonogramLaparoscopyHysteroscopyTreatment OverviewOvulation InductionClomiphene CitrateGonadotropinsHCGIntrauterine InseminationWith Partner's SemenWith Donor SemenFertility SurgeryLaparoscopyHysteroscopyLaparotomyIn Vitro FertilizationThe IVF ProcessOvarian StimulationEgg Retrieval / Semen CollectionEgg InseminationEmbryo CultureEmbryo TransferRelated Laboratory ProceduresMedications Used for IVFRisksMedicationsProceduresPregnancy RisksCRC Success RatesEgg DonationAdditional ServicesAdditional ServicesRecurrent Pregnancy LossPolycystic Ovarian SyndromeEndometriosisFibroidsEctopic PregnancyPelvic PainPatient ResourcesPreparing For Your VisitPatient Instructions On ProceduresPatient FormsPrescription RefillsFinancial InformationIntroductionInsurance PlansReferralsBilling PolicyGrant ProgramAppointments Office LocationMaps & DirectionsContacts

Egg Donation Program

Some women are unable to conceive with their own eggs due to premature menopause, prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy, genetic issues, or ovarian surgery. In the past, the only option available for these women to have children was adoption. Now, many women can conceive with the use of donated eggs. In this process, there is an egg donor and an egg recipient, the woman who will receive the donated eggs. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is performed on a young donor and the eggs are fertilized with the sperm of the recipient’s partner. The embryos are transferred to the recipient’s uterus a few days later.

Some couples have a known donor, typically a family member or friend of the recipient, who they have selected to donate eggs. Many couples choose to use an anonymous donor, one who is selected from a group of potential donors recruited by our center. Our egg donors are subject to a rigorous donor screening process.

Information for Prospective Egg Donors and Recipients

Women interested in donating their eggs must be between 21 and 30 years of age and have no significant health issues. If you are interested in becoming an egg donor, please call 212-523-7751 (9am-4pm, Monday through Friday) and ask to speak with our Egg Donation Coordinator.

Donor Screening Process

Prospective anonymous donors are young women who are recruited by word-of-mouth, or through focused advertisements. Prospective donors must meet with our egg donation coordinator and are required to complete a thorough form that addresses several issues including the following:

Personal health
Family diseases
Reproductive history
Psychiatric illnesses
Genetic history within the family
Past or present use of illicit substances
Educational background
Race and ethnicity

Only those women with a favorable history profile are eligible to complete the rest of the screening process, which includes:

Physical examination by the physician (including an ultrasound assessment of the reproductive organs)
Extensive hormone and infectious disease testing (including Hepatitis C and HIV) as per the guidelines of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the New York State Department of Health, and the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Drug testing
Screening by a genetic counselor
Psychological assessment and testing by a mental health professional

Non-anonymous (known) donors who are selected by recipient women or couples are subject to the same screening process required by anonyomous donor candidates. The entire donor screening process typically takes two to four weeks. The in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle takes an additional three weeks. Once the eggs are retrieved, the donor has completed her duties and will receive donor compensation.

Donor Compensation

Anonymous egg donors will be compensated. Payment is received upon completion of the egg retrieval. All screening, medical and medication costs are paid by the recipient woman or couple.

Recipients of Donated Eggs

Women or couples planning on using donated eggs from an anonymous donor must meet with our egg donation coordinator and complete a detailed form that addresses the personal health of the recipient and her partner as well as the partner’s family and genetic history. In addition, the couple is asked to describe the characteristics of a donor that would be acceptable to them, including race, ethnicity, religion, physical characteristics, education level and special talents or attributes. It is important to keep in mind that the more selective the recipient couple is, the greater the time needed to find an appropriate donor. A period of several months is often required to select and screen an appropriate donor. Once a donor becomes available, the prospective recipients are provided with a medical and family history of the donor as well as a list of her characteristics. In some cases, a photograph of the donor as a young child is available for the recipients to view. No adult photographs or other identifying information is available. Recipient women and couples must meet with one of our mental health professionals to address issues (present and future) the recipient woman or couple might face.

Egg Donation Cycle

During an egg donation cycle, the donor and recipient women are treated with hormonal therapy designed to synchronize their two cycles. This is important as the recipient’s uterus must be prepared at the right time to receive the embryos resulting from the donated eggs and partner’s sperm. While the donor is undergoing the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process, the recipient receives oral estrogen therapy and injectable progesterone over a 2-3 week period. The embryos are transferred to the uterus of the recipient 3-5 days after the eggs are retrieved from the donor.