How we prepare an egg donor at URE Centro Gutenberg

Fortunately, there are many women who want to help others by donating their eggs so that they can fulfil their desire to become mothers. However, we also know that many others do not take the step of donating because of fear or simply because they are unaware of the process.

That is why we want to use this article to explain in detail who you can help with your eggs, as well as the process of preparing a donor in our Reproduction Unit. All this information will help you feel more at ease and clear up many doubts.

The first thing you should know is that egg donation is regulated and permitted in Spain, making it easier for single women and couples to achieve a pregnancy that they would otherwise be unable to achieve. It is important to be aware of these cases and to recognise that there is a very real need for these treatments.

Treatments with donated eggs are indicated in very complex cases. For example:

• Women with no ovarian function, who are elderly or menopausal.
• Women with genetic abnormalities in their eggs that make pregnancy inadvisable.
• Women with multiple repeated failures in IVF treatments and with a poor prognosis.
• Women who have suffered repeated miscarriages.
• Women with hidden ovarian failure or with a low response to IVF cycles.

At URE Centro Gutenberg, we have a specific team responsible for selecting egg donors and carefully monitoring in vitro fertilisation treatments with donor eggs, better known as egg donation. This team is made up of doctors, biologists, nurses and assistants who are specially trained to care for both the donor and the woman who will receive the donated eggs.

Although it may not seem like it now, the egg donation process is quite simple.

How does the selection of egg donors begin?

At our unit, it all starts by filling out a contact form available on our website. This form is sent directly to the egg donation team, who will decide whether to take the next step: an appointment at the clinic for an explanatory talk with a doctor from the URE.

During this talk, we will discuss female fertility, the importance of egg donation, the preparation required before donating, and the procedure or clinical process involved in donating your eggs. We will also give you a questionnaire to fill out about your health, family history, personal details, etc. Don’t worry if you have any questions when filling out this questionnaire: we will be there to help you answer them and guide you.

What is the next step in egg donation?

If everything is correct and the egg donation team considers it appropriate, the next step is an appointment with one of the doctors on the medical team. At this appointment, you will receive more personalised information. We will answer any questions you may have, and, very importantly, we will perform the gynaecological examination required for the process. This examination includes a general physical examination, a gynaecological examination with a smear test, a gynaecological ultrasound scan and a breast examination.

In addition, the relevant tests will be carried out, including a basic blood test, a test for infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, and an extensive genetic test to help make the selection more accurate, minimising the risk of transmitting genetic diseases. We would like to pause here, as it is important for you to know that if the genetic tests reveal that you are a carrier of any disease, we will inform you of this and its extent.

These extensive genetic tests will allow the partner of the woman receiving your eggs to compare their genetic profile with yours, thus minimising the risk of disease transmission to their children.

Not all fertility centres offer this type of testing for their donors. At URE Centro Gutenberg, we have decided to invest heavily in genetic testing, as we believe it provides our patients with peace of mind and is a guarantee for the future.

These genetic tests allow us to assign a donor who is genetically compatible with the partner of the woman who will receive your eggs, so that they do not share mutations in the same genes. Although it may seem like science fiction, it is something we are already doing, and in this way we greatly minimise the chances of a child being born with a serious genetic problem.

When will I know if I can start treatment to donate my eggs?

If, after all the previous stages and tests, there are no problems, we will call you to start the treatment cycle and we will give you an appointment to come in for an ultrasound scan.

The treatment consists of stimulating your ovaries to produce enough mature eggs for donation. We will provide you with the medication prescribed by the doctor and explain how to take it. It’s very easy!

The process lasts approximately ten to fourteen days, during which you will need to attend frequent check-ups and have hormone tests to monitor the progress of the treatment. Once the stimulation is complete, the ovarian puncture or egg retrieval is performed. This procedure takes place in the operating theatre, under anaesthetic sedation, and lasts approximately fifteen minutes, after which you will remain in a room until the effects of the anaesthetic wear off in approximately a couple of hours. You can bring someone with you if you wish, and you will be looked after by the staff at URE Centro Gutenberg at all times to make this process as comfortable as possible.

Normally, you will have your period nine or ten days after the ovarian puncture. At that point, we will ask you to call us so that we can perform an ultrasound scan to check that everything has gone well.

Do you still have questions about the egg donation process? You can find some frequently asked questions and answers at this link. If you are still unsure, please do not hesitate to contact us! You can do so by telephone on 952 122 565 or by filling in the form on our website.