Donor Egg Recipient Screening
Learn more about what to expect during egg donor recipient screening
To help ensure that hopeful parents have the best possible chance of their IVF, in vitro fertilization, cycle with donor eggs being successful, many fertility clinics recommend donor egg recipient screening.
For hopeful mothers not using a gestational surrogate, this screening confirms that she is healthy and able to carry the pregnancy. Hopeful fathers receive this screening to determine if their sperm has a good chance of fertilizing the donor eggs.
Donor egg recipient screening for hopeful mothers
One of the first steps of the screening for a hopeful mother is the fertility doctor reviewing her medical records to determine if she might have a health concern that could impact her eventual pregnancy.
The doctor then orders certain tests that can inform how they can best help the hopeful mother in the process of developing a healthy pregnancy with donor eggs.
Physical exam. Many hopeful mothers receive a physical exam from their primary care provider to confirm their overall health. This evaluation usually includes testing for diabetes and heart disease.
Bloodwork. The fertility clinic will likely test the hopeful mother's blood to determine her blood type, and if she has rubella, Hepatitis, Hep B, HIV, Chlamydia, or other conditions that could impact pregnancy.
Ultrasound. A transvaginal ultrasound will likely be recommended, as it allows the fertility doctor to assess if a woman has any uterine abnormalities, like endometrial polyps, intrauterine adhesions, or fibroids.
Hysterosalpingogram, HSG. This is an additional method a doctor can use to evaluate a woman's uterine health.
Sonohysterogram. Similar to the HSG test, a sonohysterogram is a non-surgical method of observing potential abnormalities in a woman’s uterus.
After this donor egg recipient screening, the doctor will discuss the findings with the hopeful mother and help her determine the best path forward.
​
During this time our Southern California egg donor agency can connect hopeful parents with a counselor who helps them address the emotional and psychological aspects of using donor eggs.
Fertility screening for hopeful fathers
As the health of a hopeful father's sperm is crucial to the fertilization of the donor eggs, the fertility doctor will have him undergo various tests. These tests provide insight into the man's reproductive and genetic health.
Semen test. The clinic will evaluate the quantity, quality, and movement of the man’s sperm. In some situations the doctor will also recommend a semen culture to determine if the man has a bacterial infection.
​
Antisperm antibody testing. This test can detect proteins that could be damaging or killing sperm.
​
Bloodwork. The man will receive a blood test so the clinic can determine his blood type, and discover if he has rubella, Hepatitis, Hep B, HIV, Chlamydia, or other health conditions.
Preconception genetic screening. Genetic testing is an important part of donor egg recipient screening for men, as it can reveal if the man is a carrier for any inheritable genetic conditions. If he is a carrier for a certain inheritable genetic condition, our Southern California egg donor agency will help to ensure he's matched with a donor who is not also a carrier for that condition.
Preconception genetic testing also helps hopeful parents decide if they should have their resulting embryos tested. The testing available includes PGT-A, preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy, and PGT-M, preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic/single gene defects.
​
This screening is an important part of the donor egg process, as it helps ensure the hopeful parents have the best possible chance of having healthy embryos after the egg donation cycle.
​
What happens after the hopeful parents undergo screening
If the fertility doctor determines that the hopeful parents are good candidates for donor eggs they are ready to move forward with the selection of their ideal egg donor.
When this screening does reveal potential health issues, the fertility doctor can often provide suggestions for options that can help the hopeful parents bypass these barriers and take the next step towards parenthood.
Contact our Southern California egg donor agency for more information about becoming a parent through egg donation.
