Screening & Retrieval Flashcards
Can you tell me about the donor screening process?
Our team screens donors through a rigorous, multi-step process to ensure each person is qualified and prepared to become an egg donor, going above and beyond FDA and ASRM (American Society for Recommended Medicine)-recommended screening guidelines. Before donors can be listed on our platform, we review their personal and family medical history and collect information on their lifestyle and behavioral habits. We also obtain AMH results for most donors before they match. Most importantly, we meet 1:1 with every donor to get at the core of who she is as a person –her values, her goals, her personality. This allows us to provide you with the most thoughtful match possible.
Once you move forward with a match, the donor will undergo a physical examination, a psychological evaluation, and full genetic screening. Your doctor will review these results and give us the green light to move forward. We will also ensure that donors are screened for background and education checks.
When does the donor undergo genetic testing?
Upon matching, we will work with your clinic to run a geneti screening for your donor. Their results, alog with the intended father or sperm source’s genetic testing results, will be evaulated by a genetic counselor to ensure there is no genetic issue or mismatch between the two.
When does the donor undergo a psychological exam?
After your donor has passed her medical screening, we will coordinate your clinic to schedule a psychological exam for your donor. The psychilogical exam ensures that the donor understands the egg donation process and the implications of her decision to be a donor and that she fully consents to the Split program’srules and requirements.
If the donor is out of state, do I need to switch clinics to one near her?
If you match with a Split member, who is freezing her eggs and donating half to your family, we’ll work with both parties to determine the best place to conduct her testing, monitoring and retrieval. In some cases, we will complete the donor’s testing and monitoring at a clinic close to her home to eliminate travel and can have the eggs shipped to your clinic. In other cases, donors will travel to your clinic for the retrieval. Ultimately, this is a decision that will be determined during the matching process.
What happens if my doctor does not clear the donor who I match with?
If the donor does not pass your doctor’s initial screen, we will waive our coordiation fee for another match. You may also get a full refund of our coordination fee if you do not wish to match again.
How many times can an individual donate?
We follow ASRM guidelines that limit an individual to 6 donation cycles across her lifetime.
Are the eggs that I receive fresh or frozen?
At this time, all of our cycles are “fresh” and we do not have any previously frozen eggs. If you are hoping to move quickly, we have may donors who are ready to cycle immediately and we can work to expedite the screening and retrieval process shortly after matching.
If you want the eggs to be fertilized immediately upon retrieval, the donor can do her retrieval at your clinic, you can go in person to her clinic on the day of the retrieval, or you can ship frozen sperm to her clinic. If fertilization occurs at her clinic, they can freeze the embryos and have them shipped back to you. We can also freeze the eggs immediately upon retrieval and ship them to your clinic or a long-term storage facility if you’re not looking to fertilize them right away. All of this to say, our Member Advocates are here to discuss the nuances of your specific scenario and can help sort out the logistics no matter what.
Will I get enough eggs?
The average # of eggs retrieved varies widely by patient and cycle, but can be predicted by a donor’s age, AMH, and antral follicle count. That means that your doctor can give you a good picture of how many eggs to expect from a specific donor after her initial screening. If, for any reason, her screening results predict that she won’t retrieve a sufficient # of eggs to do a split cycle, we will rematch you with another donor for free or refund the coordination fee. Once the eggs have been retrieved, fertilization, and euploidy rates can differ based on egg and sperm quality.
At Cofertility, the average # of mature eggs a family receives and fertilizes is 12, but worth noting that every case is unique. Some intended parents want to do two egg retrievals with the donor, which is definitely possible. We also ask each of our donors whether they are open to a second cycle as part of the initial application –many report that they are!
You can see how many eggs are retrieved in the first cycle and go from there. If, for any reason, the eggs retrieved in that round do not lead to live birth, our baby guarantee will kick in and we’ll rematch you at no no additional Cofertility coordination fee.
Can I do a second cycle with the same donor?
Yes! If both parties agree to a complete second cycle, you’ll pay a reduced coordination fee of $3500. While you don’t need to pay for screening expenses, you will be covering fees related to the donor’s medications, retrieval cycle and shipping her portion of eggs to her existing storage facility.
What if I want all the eggs from the round?
We work with some families that want as many eggs as possible to increase the changes of having more than one child. In these cases, we can work with the family, door and clinic to arrange two egg retrieval cycles. The family can either split both cycles, or agree to an arrangement in which eggs from the first cycle go to the family while the eggs from the second cycle go to the donor.
Will I need to make legal arrangements?
Yes, but we will help with this part. When you and your donor agree to move forward with your match, you’ll enter into a legal agreement designed to protect the rights of both parties. We can refer you to a lawyer with expertise in the fertility industry and our programs; they will draft and review the contract, ensuring you have no unanswered questions. While it’s likely faster to work with one of the attorneys we’ve worked with before, if you prefer, you may also use your own outside counsel, though we ask that he/she has experience dealing in fertility and egg donation.
Do you have any restrictions on the clinic that I work with?
Cofertility is clinic agnostic as long as the clinic reports outcomes to SART (Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology) and has a CAP certified lab (College of American Patholigists). Some clinics have specific requirements related to working with outside donors and have policies in place for how they handle those cases. If you already have a clinic in mind, reach out to our team and we can send a list of questions that we recommend you ask them before getting started.
Do I have to be working with a clinic already?
Nope! We’re excited to work with you regardless of where you are in the family-building journey. Whether you are just starting the process or have an established relationship with a clinic, we’d love to walk the rest of the road with you.
Can you refer me to a clinic?
Absolutely. While we do not have any exclusive clinic relationships, we pride ourselves on working with a range of clinics whose clinical teams deliver high quality, compassionate care. Get in touch and we’ll be happy to connect you with one in your area.
Can you help me find a surrogate?
While we don’t currently offer surrogacy matching, we can refer you to a reputable surrogacy agency who can help make this happen!
