Frequently Asked Questions: Donors

lease note that NY LifeSpring LLC does not give medical advice. We are licensed only for matching donors with recipients and referring both to comprehensive facilities. For answers to medical questions, we will refer you to the appropriate medical professionals at the hospitals and comprehensive facilities with which we work.


> What are the basic requirements for becoming an egg donor?
> How do I know if I would be a good candidate for donating?
> Why should I donate?
> Am I screened or tested, and how?
> How long does it take?
> Does it hurt?
> What about side effects and risks?
> How much will I be compensated for the discomfort of injections and retrieval?
> Can I meet the recipients of the eggs I donate?
> Will I find out if my donation resulted in any children?
> Will the recipients of the eggs find out who I am?
> Can I donate more than once?
> Will I need to change my lifestyle during the donation process?
> Will I need to take time away from work or school?
> Additional yes/no questions.


   



What are the basic requirements for becoming an egg donor?

An egg donor must be between the ages of 21 and 32. She must be in good health, both mentally and physically, with a weight that is appropriate for her height, and with a family history free of genetic and/or psychological illness. Upon deciding to participate in the donation process, she must have clear resolve and motivation. It must be at least six months since a donor has had any piercings or tattoos. Donors may be married, although this may make them inappropriate for recipients who are more observant of Jewish law. Donors do not have to be U.S. citizens.

Donors must be willing and able to:

• Attend early morning blood tests
• Be on time for all appointments
• Follow instructions for timing and doses of medications
• Self-administer injections, or have a trusted friend or relative administer them
• Refrain from sexual intercourse during the cycle
• Refrain from using any recreational drugs
• Donate all eggs that result from the cycle

   



How do I know if donating is a good choice for me?

Only you can know if you are a good candidate, but here are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself before deciding to donate:

• Will it make me feel good about myself to help others build their family?
• Will I feel that I have donated an egg, or someday feel I have parted with a child?
• Will I be able to discuss donation with people whose opinions are very important to me?
• Am I a decisive person who is comfortable with my choices, or do I often regret them later?
• Am I a responsible person who can be on time for meetings and follow instructions?
• Am I comfortable with the idea of taking daily injections?
• Can I modify my behavior during the donation process, refraining from intercourse and excess alcohol?
• Have I fully considered this decision and become truly comfortable with it?

   



Why should I donate?

You will be helping others build a family that they might otherwise not be able to have. Many women find that they cannot or should not become pregnant with their own eggs. This can happen for a number of reasons, such as illness, age, a condition from birth or the risk of passing on genetic illness. In such circumstances, those who wish to become pregnant must rely on the generosity and compassion of others willing to donate. Donation allows the recipient mother to become pregnant, give birth and breastfeed a child who is, in most cases, genetically related to the recipient father.

Since the process of donation requires the donor to make complex personal decisions, to take daily injections for a period of around two weeks, and to undergo egg retrieval, she is compensated by a predetermined amount for her sacrifice. The amount of this compensation is $11,000.

As part of the screening process, potential donors receive medical, genetic and psychological examinations and evaluations. The results of the screening can give you peace of mind, or allow you to address issues that might otherwise go undiscovered.

   



Am I screened or tested, and how?

Yes, the first step is an interview and pre-screening by NY LifeSpring LLC. If in this step you are found to be a good candidate for donating, we will attempt to match you with recipients.

A potential donor who has been successfully matched with a recipient is sent to begin the official screening, which starts with a blood test taken on a certain day of the potential donor's menstrual cycle. If the blood test results are good, a psychological screening is performed and, based on its success, a full medical and biographical screening follows.

For a more complete description, please see the page "Screening Process" in the section titled "About the Donors" and the item "Steps in the donation process" on the "General Information" page of the "Becoming a Donor" section.

   



How long does it take?

Once a donor is matched with a recipient, screening can begin three days after the donor's next period. From that first day of screening, it will usually be about 2 months until the day the eggs are retrieved. The screening is generally scheduled on several days at the beginning of the two months, then there are a couple of weeks of waiting for the results. Next, assuming the tests indicate the donor may proceed, there are injections for 10 to 14 days, with retrieval occurring a day or so after the end of that 10 to 14 day period. It is important to note that the donor only needs to be in the vicinity of the fertility center for around 19 days, not the entire two months.

   



Does it hurt?

Although discomfort is a subjective experience, the majority of donors find it to be minor. Donors take injections for around 10 to 14 days. During this time, there are also frequent, sometimes daily, blood samples taken to monitor the donor's progress. For the egg retrieval, donors are sedated and do not feel discomfort during the procedure. Afterwards, some donors report minor soreness or cramps and others report none.

   



What about side effects and risks?

NY LifeSpring LLC does not answer medical questions directly and is not licensed to do so, but we work only with well known, professional facilities. Before you undergo any medical procedure, you will have the opportunity to discuss the entire process with the nurses at the hospital or clinic. You may ask them about side effects and risks, as well as any other medical issues.

   



How much will I be compensated for the discomfort of the donation process?

Donors who successfully pass all screenings and complete the donation process are compensated $11,000 for their discomfort and inconvenience. Donors do not have to pay for any part of the donation process; all the expenses of donation are paid by the recipients. If the donor successfully passes all screenings, but the cycle is cancelled and the donor is not at fault, she will receive partial compensation depending on when in the process the cancellation occurs and who caused it. This generally ranges between $500 to $750.

   



Can I meet the recipients of the eggs I donate?

No, NY LifeSpring LLC does not allow direct meetings between donors and recipients.

   



Will I find out if my donation resulted in any children?

No. Donors are told how many eggs are retrieved and anything else that relates to their own health, but are not told if any embryos or children result from their donation.

   



Will the recipients of the eggs find out who I am?

Recipients see donor photos and biographical information, but not last name or other identifying information. With this info, or with changing laws, it is possible that the recipients could find out, but disclosure is not an intended part of the process.

   



Can I donate more than once?

Yes. Depending on which medical facility is performing the treatment and retrieval, donors may donate up to 3 or 4 times.

   



Will I need to change my lifestyle during the donation process?

During the time a donor is committed to an egg donation cycle, she must be willing and able to:

• Attend early morning blood tests
• Be on time for all appointments
• Self-administer injections, or have a trusted friend or relative administer them
• Refrain from sexual intercourse
• Refrain from using any recreational drugs

Donation is a serious commitment. Many people are involved in any one donation cycle, including the recipients, the donor and representatives of NY LifeSpring LLC, as well as the doctors and other staff of the medical facility. Because so much goes into coordinating and performing a donation cycle, the donor must be willing to adapt her behavior for the duration of the egg donation cycle.

   



Will I need to take time away from work or school?

Appointments for blood tests and monitoring are scheduled in the early morning to avoid interfering with work and school schedules as much as possible. Donors should make sure they are well rested during the cycle and so should not work late night shifts (after 8pm) during the weeks that they are taking injections. Generally, on the day of the retrieval, donors are instructed by the medical facility to go home and rest afterwards and then take it easy for a few days, avoiding strenuous activity.

   



Additional yes/no questions.

Is it OK if:

I'm taking birth control pills? Yes
I'm married? Yes
I have children? Yes
I have had an abortion? Yes
I'm not an American citizen? Yes