The first – and fundamental – step to choose egg donation is to decide to go for it. In this treatment, the eggs of a donor are used to generate embryos, which are then transferred to the patient. To do this, a series of steps must be followed, which we will explain today.
Medication/Anatomical Examination
The medical assessment for egg donation begins with the verification that the uterine cavity is suitable for accepting a pregnancy or its development. Subsequently, the endometrial preparation is carried out, which can be done with a natural cycle or by administering hormonal medication:
- On the tenth day of estrogen use, an ultrasound will be performed to monitor the endometrial growth.
- During the ultrasound controls, we will monitor that the growth of the endometrium is Trilaminar and that it reaches its appropriate thickness.
- Once the endometrium has a Trilaminar appearance and a thickness of at least 7.5 mm, it will be ready for the embryo transfer programming.
- The embryo transfer will be carried out after administering progesterone for five days.
Embryo Cultivation
After obtaining the donor’s eggs, it’s time to collect the semen sample that will fertilize the donated egg. To carry out this process, the procedure is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).
- 18 hours after performing the ICSI, it will be possible to check whether the oocytes have fertilized correctly or not. Subsequently, they should be cultured for 5-6 days to obtain blastocysts, which is the final stage of the embryo before transfer.
Transfer
One of the most important moments of this process, but not excessively complex, is when the embryo is transferred to the recipient’s uterus. It does not require anesthesia and is done with the help of an external ultrasound.
The Beta Wait
After the success of the embryo transfer, it’s time for the beta wait, which lasts approximately ten days, during which the woman will find out whether the treatment has been successful or not. After this period, a blood test will be conducted to measure Beta-HCG hormone levels (a good indicator of the pregnancy stage) to confirm that everything went well.
Egg donation is a well-structured and planned process. It is a viable option for women who cannot use their own gametes. Each step is fundamental for everything to move forward, and the success rates depend on them. Together, these steps highlight the importance of rigorous and personalized medical monitoring to achieve the goal of motherhood through egg donation.
