Southern California Reproductive Centers,  Los Angeles -  Egg Donor Program

The egg donation program offered by SCRC gives couples with female factor infertility the option of having a child who has 50 percent genetic identity to the couple; that is, the child is created with the male partner's sperm and a donor's eggs.

Thinking of Using an Egg Donor? Los Angeles Parents Agree: The Best Choice is SCRC!

Thanks to SCRC's egg donor program, we have found many couples who thought they would never be able to have children without an egg donor; Los Angeles now boasts hundreds of these grateful couples, who are now enjoying the delights of parenthood!  Los Angeles egg donor program participants should rest assured that our egg donor program meets the highest levels of professional standards and discretion based on criteria set forth by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

Many women do not have oocytes (eggs) that will successfully fertilize and result in a healthy pregnancy due to various medical conditions or simply because of their age.

When to Consider Using an Egg Donor:

• Egg donation is a viable infertility treatment for women with one of the following conditions:
• Diminished ovarian function due to ovarian cysts
• Cancer of the ovaries or other ovary disease
• Lacking ovaries
• Compromised egg or embryo quality
• Poor ovarian response to fertility medications
• An indication of genetic disease
• A family history of genetic disease

Egg donation has also been shown to be a successful treatment for women who have had multiple IVF (in vitro fertilization) cycles and failed to achieve a pregnancy. For many women, the satisfaction of being able to carry a child to term is why they choose an egg donor instead of using a surrogate.

The Egg Donation Process

The egg donation process at SCRC involves retrieving eggs from a woman who has normally functioning ovaries. This process takes place in the Beverly Hills in vitro fertilization lab, or ART Reproductive Center. Egg donor program participant couples may choose to know the identity of the egg donor, and vice versa, or the parties may choose anonymity.

After the egg retrieval procedure, the donor eggs are fertilized in the IVF lab using sperm from the recipient couple's partner. Following IVF, the resulting embryos are transferred to the uterus of the woman who wishes to carry the baby. If a pregnancy is established, the receiving woman becomes the gestational mother, carrying the developing baby through the full term of the pregnancy and childbirth.

Getting Started with SCRC's Egg Donor Program

A comprehensive evaluation with one of our physicians at one of SCRC's offices is the first step. We have several offices throughout metropolitan Los Angeles. Egg donor program candidates are given a series of basic fertility tests; following these tests, you will be advised as to whether egg donation is appropriate for you, based on your medical history. In addition, the entire process will be explained, including:

• Egg donor selection
• The evaluation cycle
• The donation (or actual) cycle
• Success rates
• Costs

The decision to proceed with egg donation is a very big step. Couples can be assured that all prospective egg donors undergo a thorough screening for communicable diseases and genetic disorders. The evaluation cycle and donation are explained briefly below, and we are happy to answer all of your questions about the success rates and costs of the egg donation program as an infertility treatment.

The Evaluation Cycle

Before the actual egg donation cycle, it is the policy of Southern California Reproductive Center to perform a "trial run" to establish the proper dosages of estrogen and progesterone that your body will require to facilitate a successful pregnancy. An orally administered, natural estrogen called Estrace® will be given in gradually increasing dosages over a 10–14-day treatment period. Blood estrogen levels will be evaluated over a period of days, and an ultra sound will be performed to determine the thickening of the uterine lining, which is necessary for successful implantation of the embryo. After the full evaluation cycle is completed — usually taking from four to six weeks — your SCRC fertility specialists will know how to most effectively prepare your uterine lining for the actual fertilization cycle.

The Egg Donation Cycle

Before egg donation is started, you will begin taking estrogen. This is followed by your egg donor starting her medication. Ultrasounds and blood tests will be performed on a periodic basis to ensure that your uterus is ready for the embryo transfer. A sperm specimen will be given by your partner on the same day that the donor's eggs are retrieved. At this time, the IVF procedure will be performed to fertilize the donor eggs.

Typically, you will begin taking progesterone on the same day. About five days following IVF and the commencement of your progesterone medication, the developing embryos will be transferred to your uterus. Your first pregnancy test will be administered approximately 12 days after embryo transfer. If the pregnancy test is positive, you will continue taking estrogen and progesterone for two additional months, after which the developing baby's placenta will produce the appropriate hormones necessary to carry the pregnancy to full term, allowing the hormone therapy to be discontinued.

For Further Information about SCRC's Los Angeles Egg Donor Program:

Please call us or come and visit one of SCRC's fertility clinics if you are considering utilizing an egg donor. Los Angeles County residents can see us in Lancaster/Palmdale, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Valencia, and Beverly Hills, California; SCRC also has two additional locations in Santa Barbara and Ventura. We will be happy to assist you with any questions you might have.