Once a donor has been matched with a family and the initial excitement takes a back foot, most donors have plenty of questions about the next steps in the process — some even have fears leading up to the egg retrieval.   This is all normal, but we have found that the more informed donors are, the better prepared and confident they are with the experience ahead.  We spend a lot of time educating and advising our donors, hand holding and ensuring that the process is an easy one for them. Here are some tips that can help donors through the last steps leading up to their egg retrieval: Notify your employer when you receive your medication schedule and clear your time for the lead up appointments and possible travel for your donation:  Many of our donors will travel for their donation. Some will be fortunate to have a local donation, but this is rare.   The estimated retrieval date will be on your medication s...

The women who choose to become egg donors come to us from all walks of life to help others realise their dream of starting a family. We’re honoured to support them on their journey to becoming egg donors. As part of your egg donation journey, you need to be a non-smoker, aged between 21-and 32, and be able to provide your full family medical history and BMI. We're often asked about BMI and its role in egg donation. In this blog, we've highlighted the importance of having a healthy BMI, why is it set to a specific range to become an egg donor, and how our team at Manchester Donors is here to support you.   What is BMI? The body mass index (BMI) is a way of measuring if you’re a healthy weight based on your height and mass. It divides your weight in kilograms, by your height in metres squared, to give a height-to-weight ratio. ( BMI calculator ) A BMI score isn’t a complete reflection of your overall health. However, it is a good guide that can help you make sure your B...

We have worked with thousands of patients for infertility and in need of egg donors. Third-party reproduction, or using a third party such as an egg donor in order to have a baby, has always been a special passion of ours.   Over the years, we have heard many questions and concerns about the process. Apart from same-sex couples who know third party reproduction is a necessary part of their journey, most individuals and couples never envisaged the need to have assistance in having a child. Here are some tips and some advice from us to you in the hope that should you need assistance in becoming, you can decide what choice is best for you.   The mourning process. Accepting your diagnosis and learning that the plan of a biological child may not be possible is a deeply personal one. The response will vary from couple to couple and partner to partner, but it takes time before any decisions are made. Some patients take a break, even if just for a month, to take some time to...

  Using third-party reproduction - egg donation - can be an emotional process.   While IVF has become increasingly well-recognized and discussed in popular media, third-party reproduction hasn’t received quite as much attention. This means there are some minor misconceptions regarding egg donation. Here are some myths about using third-party reproduction to start or grow your family: Myth #1: There’s something wrong with me Many times when intended parents learn they are unable to conceive traditionally, they feel lacking in some way. But the truth is, everyone’s journey to parenthood is different, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Thankfully with the major breakthrough in reproductive science, it has made the path to parenthood more accessible than ever before. Everyone deserves the opportunity to create their own family, and everyone’s journey is valid. Myth #2: Will it really be  my  baby Many many adoptive families all over the world know...

Egg Donation - A Happy Ending For those women whose “partners look at them and they fall pregnant” the use of donor eggs may seem completely absurd. It’s a case of “If you have never walked in someone’s shoes don’t judge them,” and often it’s a complete ignorance, as is the case when you are dealing with a choice you would never have to make. The reality is that, for those increasing woman who, without the use of donor eggs would never be able to experience motherhood, egg donation is the greatest gift of life. The need for donor eggs is on the increase, as infertility becomes a widespread in a sentence that does not discriminate. Our fast paced lifestyles; stress, cancer and delaying having children are all factors that can result in a woman’s ovaries not functioning to produce viable eggs for fertilisation. For these woman an egg donor is a last resort and a gift of life. The world of fertility brings fulfillment and joy to couples via egg donation, or surrogacy. In South Africa we a...

Egg donation in South Africa is indeed legal and legislated as Chapter 8 of the National Health Act (Act no 61 of 2003) Gamete donation is regulated by The Policy Committee of the South African Society of Reproductive Science and Surgery. The 2008 Guidelines for gamete donation provides the latest recommendations for clinicians involved in assisted conception using gamete (egg) donors. Egg donation in South Africa is anonymous which allows the recipient parents to choose whether to reveal the details of their child’s conception. For psychological and to ensure optimal egg quality, only donors between the ages of 21 and 34 can be recruited by egg donor agencies. There are no requirements in South Africa for an egg donor registry to be kept and the child’s birth certificate details the names of the recipient parents. It is important for intended parents planning egg donation in South Africa to choose a reputable egg donation agency – one that works with the leading fertility clinics in S...