SDFC Egg Donor Program

San Diego Fertility Center offers a leading international egg donor program located in Southern California.

Using an egg donor with IVF treatment may be an option for women who lack ovaries, who have diminished function of the ovaries due to a cancerous ovary cyst, ovary cancer or other ovary disease. Some egg donor program candidates will use an egg donation database because of either a genetic disease or a family history of genetic disease.

San Diego Fertility Center, located in Southern California, has a highly professional egg donation program that meets the highest standards and criteria set by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

What is the egg donation process?

During the egg donor recipient process, the eggs from the ovaries of a woman with normally functioning ovaries are retrieved. These donated eggs are then fertilized in a laboratory setting through IVF (in vitro fertilization) with sperm from the egg recipient's partner. The resulting embryos are then transferred to the uterus of the woman desiring a baby. If pregnancy is established, the egg recipient becomes the gestational mother and experiences the joy of pregnancy and childbirth.

Should I use an egg donor?

Egg donation has proven to be an exceptionally successful treatment option for women with compromised egg or embryo quality or for women whose ovaries respond poorly to fertility medications. Egg donor programs have provided effective treatment for women who have had multiple IVF cycles and failed to achieve a pregnancy. Learn more: Should I use an egg donor?

How do I get started?

If you feel you might be an egg donor candidate, the first step is to contact our egg donation agency and schedule a comprehensive consultation with one of our fertility specialists. At San Diego Fertility Center we will thoroughly review your fertility tests and personal situation in order to advise you on the appropriateness of egg donation. During your consultation, our infertility specialists will also explain what is involved with the process, including egg donor selection using our egg donor database, the evaluation cycle, the real cycle, egg donation success rates, and egg donor program costs.

The Evaluation Cycle

This is a "trial run" performed prior to your actual egg donor cycle in which the proper dosages of estrogen and progesterone that your body requires are determined. The evaluation cycle is used to assess the best method to prepare your uterine lining in order to receive the embryos. You will take Estrace (an oral, natural estrogen), gradually increasing your dosage over a period of 10-14 days. Your blood estrogen level will be evaluated every few days, and an ultrasound will be done to look at the thickening of your uterine lining. The evaluation cycle will take 4-6 weeks. Once it is over, your physician will know how best to prepare the lining of your uterus for the fertilization cycle.

The Egg Donation Cycle

You will start estrogen prior to your egg donor starting her medication. You will need to have periodic blood testing and ultrasounds to assure perfect readiness for your embryos. On the day your donor's eggs are retrieved, a sperm specimen will be needed from your partner to fertilize the eggs. Generally, you will begin Progesterone on that day. Approximately five days later the embryos are transferred to your uterus. After twelve days, you will have a pregnancy test. If it is positive, you will need to continue the estrogen and progesterone for two more months. After that time the baby's placenta will produce the appropriate pregnancy hormones, and no more medication is necessary.

Take a look at our treatment overview and our suggestions on how to choose an egg donor.