Egg Donation at Maimonides

Healthy eggs are a vital part of a successful pregnancy. However, some women are unable to produce healthy eggs on their own. As a result, the dream of having a child can seem harder to achieve. The Maimonides Health Egg Donation Program is here to help potential parents overcome this hurdle.

As part of our leading-edge in vitro fertilization (IVF) services, our high-quality egg donation program is certified by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Our endocrinology and reproductive medicine specialists work closely with potential egg donors and recipients. It can take several months to find an egg donor. But our providers have the expertise to turn the hopes of starting a family into a reality.

Who Qualifies to Receive Egg Donation?

There are several reasons why you may want to consider using egg donation (also called oocyte and ova donation) when trying to get pregnant. You may qualify for the program if you have experienced:

• Early menopause (premature ovary failure)
• Naturally occurring menopause
• Repeated IVF failures using your eggs

Who Can Donate Eggs?

We are dedicated to protecting every pregnancy. That’s why each potential egg donor completes a thorough screening process. Every Maimonides egg donor must:

• Be a non-smoker
• Be between ages 21 and 33

If you decide to become an egg donor, we will also screen you for:

• Genetic disorders
• Infectious diseases
• Psychological conditions

Call to Schedule: 718-283-6588
Schedule an Appointment Online

What Do Egg Recipients Experience?

If you have interest in receiving donor eggs, one of our fertility counselors will explain the medical process. They will also talk with you about the psychological and social aspects of egg donation.

As an egg recipient, your treatment cycle can last between 4 and 8 weeks. It starts with several injections. Some will include estrogen and progesterone to prepare your uterus for pregnancy. Others will suppress your pituitary gland to prevent premature ovulation. If the process is successful, you will continue to take these injections for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Our experts fertilize the egg during the IVF process and transfer the embryo to your uterus.

What Can Donors Expect During the Egg Donation Process?

The egg donation process takes several weeks. As a donor, after you match with a recipient, you start taking oral contraceptive pills at the start of your next period. You will also begin fertility injections and have an ultrasound and blood draw every 1 to 2 days over a two-week period.

Our fertility specialists use ultrasounds and blood tests to identify the best time to retrieve your eggs. When the time is right, we will give you a medication to prevent ovulation. Then, we will schedule egg retrieval—your egg donation procedure.

What Happens During Egg Retrieval?

You will be under anesthesia during egg retrieval. That means you won’t feel or remember anything. Our experts insert a small needle through your vagina to gather eggs from your ovaries. You may feel some pelvic cramping or have some light bleeding after the procedure.

Plan to rest after the egg retrieval. You can return to your regular activities the next day.

Protecting Privacy in Egg Donation

The egg donation process at Maimonides is anonymous. We never share photos or identifying information about a donor with a recipient. Additionally, we never share the identities of recipient individuals or couples with a donor.

To help recipients select donor eggs, we do share a few physical details about the donor, including:

• Ethnic background
• Eye color
• Hair color
• Height

Call to Schedule: 718-283-6588
Schedule an Appointment Online