What to do first...?

I know that when I was thinking of becoming a donor for the first time I really didn't know where to turn.  Our website, www.fcidonor.com,  is very helpful and has a quick and easily survey to fill out to see if you are eligible to be a donor with us.  We do have some height and weight requirements as well as you have to have a resent clean pap.  Once you fill out the online form you will receive one of two responses from us, basically accepting or denying you as donor. 
If you do get an acceptance email there will be an application attached for you to fill out.  It can be intimidating at first to fill out all that medical information as well as the family history but it's worth the time it will take you.  Once you return that to us with some photos, and your pap, we will review the application and if we like what we see then we'll set up a time to have you come in for a day of pre-screening.  Our pre-screening process takes about 3 hours.  At this appointment you will meet with our in house psychologist and be evaluated, have a physical exam, blood workup, genetic testing and an internal ultra sound.  We do advance you $300 from your final $7,000 at this time and the check should arrive to you within days of your appointment.
Results from this day will take at least 2 weeks to receive back and in some cases can take longer.  If everything is ok we will then upload your profile to the website to be viewed by our patients.  Since we have more patients looking for donors then donors, the time between when you're put on and when you're picked is usually very short.  From start to finish, once you are picked by a patient, the process takes about 3 months or so.  As I mentioned before, I have donated with FCI two times in the past and would be happy to answer any questions that anyone might have.  I can be reached via email at danielle.swanson@integramed.com.

Will Donating Now Have An Effect On My Fertility Later?

Many questions arise as potential egg donors consider the possibility of providing eggs to an anonymous recipient couple. Questions naturally arise as donors learn that they will be taking injectable medicine in order to generate multiple eggs during a single donation cycle. When the normal pattern in all reproductive age women is that only one egg comes to maturity and ovulates each month, it's logical to question whether retrieving multiple eggs during one cycle, will eventually result in decreased future fertility of the donor.

The good news is that there is no evidence to suggest that donors will experience a decreased potential for fertility and/or childbearing by donating eggs. A well documented decline in fertility naturally accompanies aging in women, and the occasional egg donation cycle among otherwise normal cycling women does nothing to alter their long-term fertility. By the same token, women may wonder that if by taking birth control pills and therefore inhibiting ovulation, they may have a longer fertility potential, but that is also false. The major correlation with fertility over an individuals' life-span is age and age alone.

In fact, the number of eggs any female has occurs even prior to birth. Female infant ovaries, at approximately 20 weeks gestation, contain roughly 5 million eggs. When the child is born, the ovaries contain roughly 2 million eggs. There is always a gradual decline throughout the life of the young female child such that by puberty, the ovaries contain roughly 400,000-500,000 eggs. Over the course of a woman's childbearing years, only about 400-500 eggs actually make it to maturity and get ovulated. The vast majority of eggs never reach maturing and never ovulate, but are gradually absorbed by the body between puberty and menopause. However, the age of maturity is 51+ years, and no evidence to date suggest that the use of fertility medication or egg donation will decrease the egg reserved to any degree that results in premature menopause. 

Jane Nani, M.D.

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Written by Jane Nani, M.D., FCI Medical Director,

2nd Time Around Part 4

So there I was going to Lindenhurst everyday, feeling boated and uncomfortable!  But at least I wasn't driving to the city, thank god for FCI's multiple locations!  Finally the day came, and man was I ready.  Unlike last time I was uncomfortable the majority of the time and just really crabby, which I am sure my husband loved!  But I assure you that the $7k was well worth the discomfort that I went through. 
The retrieval went just fine and this time 20 eggs were harvested.  I was told by the doctor that this was most likely why I was more sore and uncomfortable this time, but again, well worth it.  Also, something else happened this time that didn't the first.  Right before they took me back the doctor came in and went over the routine stuff with me like before but then took my hand and thanked me for doing this on behalf of the patients.  This really touched me.  Don't get me wrong, I was well aware of what an amazing thing I was doing and felt great about it, but there is something to be said for someone else giving your good deed some recognition.  I went home feeling ok and this time with pain medicine.  Spent the rest of that day resting and doing absolutely nothing at all.  The following morning I awoke to the worst period like cramps ever, took some pain pills and back to bed I went.  Throughout the whole day I felt really bad but by evening was feeling a little more myself and by the next day getting even closer to normal. 
Even though my recovery took longer this time and I was in more discomfort from start to finish I wouldn't take it back for the world.  I gave someone the chance to have a family, which without me would not have been possible.  I am moving on to trying for my second child and will be retiring from egg donation as I am getting too old LOL : ) (No really I am getting too old)!