Fertility specialist shares what to expect from egg donation for IVF

ATLANTA - For women whose egg reserve is low or depleted, Dr. Pavna Brahma, the director of IVF at Shady Grove Fertility - Atlanta, says a carefully screened, and usually anonymous, egg donor can offer the chance to get pregnant. 

"They're usually someone in their twenties, at the peak of fertility, who's then going to go through that in vitro process, taking the injectables and creating eggs," Dr. Brahma says. 

Egg donors are paid for their eggs and for going through the donation process. 

The eggs are collected, then, in a lab, they are fertilized with the intended partner's sperm. 

Then, the embryos are implanted. 

So, how much will you be able to know about your egg donor? 

"You'll know about a donor's ethnicity, family history, a typically a three-tiered family history, you know, physical attributes like their height, and their weight," Dr. Brahma says. 

Egg donors typically also share how much education they have had, she says, along with their interests or talents, and their life goals. 

"It's really important for, for you to be able to, to connect with a donor on that type of a level," Dr. Brahma says.  "Also, donors typically always have a childhood photo available, and some will have an adult photo, too." 

And a pre-treatment counseling session can help you understand what to expect. 

"So, you know your comfort level with it," Dr. Brahma says. "Who do you let in? Might you disclose to your child in the future? You know, just thinking through that in depth is really important." 

One donor egg IVF cycle can cost on average close to $20,000 in the US, typically not covered by medical insurance. 

So, Dr. Brahma says ask if the fertility practice, you're considering has a "live birth guarantee program," which will cost more, but will cover multiple cycles, if you need them. 

And, Dr. Brahma cautions, the process can take time. 

"There is some pre-screening that you'll want to do, looking at your uterus and your overall health," she says. "But then, finding the donor can take, you know, anywhere from, you know, 2 to 6 months." 

Dr. Brahma says counseling is an important part of the process, and something they recommend for couples hoping to conceive with donor eggs. 

"And studies have shown that there's really no difference in bonding (with the baby), when a woman uses an egg donor, as long as she went through those steps and kind of had thought about it, you know, counseling wise beforehand," she says. 

Egg freezing and banking can help speed up the donation process, and bring down the cost, Brahma adds. 

"Patients can look at the database and just select a donor," she says.  "Then, those eggs are already available for you. So, that has really helps to shorten the timeline."