Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Egg donor screening update

We received more news from the Denver clinic on our donor E's progress through the many layers of the approval process. Here's where she is on everything:




  • day 3 bloodwork (FSH, E2, LH) 

  • psychological evaluation (including MMPI-2) 

  • baseline ultrasound

  • physical exam

  • pap smear/breast exam

  • urine toxicology screen

  • blood typing and Rh factor

  • CBC/chem panel, AMH

  • communicable diseases panel (syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hep B, hep C, HIV I & II)

  • and genetic testing (karyotype, cystic fibrosis, fragile x, spinal muscular atrophy, and hemoglobinopathy)
    So everything is done minus the day 3 bloods and her karyotype. We're getting there...this is starting to feel more real...


  • We actually had E's day 3 bloods drawn prior to sending her out for her one day work up, so we already know she will pass this with flying colors. I can't remember the exact numbers, but her FSH was something between 6 and 7, and her E2 was 15ish. So no worries there, although Denver won't accept this as her "official" day 3 results since it's not from their lab. Also, her AMH came back great at 4 (!) and her resting follicle count is 33, so we are really hoping she will have a great response. It's a help her numbers are so good since she is a first-time donor. Puts our minds a bit at ease about this part.

    Unfortunately, E. was camping in a remote area when her period came (she's a big lover of the outdoors) and wasn't able to make it this month for her day 3 bloods (aargh!), so we have to wait until next cycle. Apparently, the Denver clinic decision makers are still thinking we can cycle in early December despite this...here's hoping!

    Our donor's blood  type is A+, which means that if we have a child with her eggs, our child's blood type will not immediately identify him or her as not related to me. We didn't choose the donor based on this, but it is a relief to me that our child won't be "outed" in a junior high or high school biology class based on their blood type not being possible from the combination from Will and me. Reassuring to me that our child will be the one in charge of when and where and with whom they want to share this info about themselves. E's Rh factor is compatible with mine as well, so no Rhogam shots in my future, which is also nice.

    The Denver clinic recently instituted a new procedure with egg donors in which they are offered the choice to sign documents giving their name, birthdate, and social security number to any resulting offspring on that child's 18th birthday. Our donor declined to sign this. I will find out more about why from our agency, but have to say I was disappointed. At the same time, I would not be so comfortable giving out my social security number to a stranger, so I totally get her reticence on at least that level. I asked the Denver clinic if she could opt to disclose name and birthdate without social security number, or maybe just the last four of her social security number, and they said no. Weird to me. If we were trying to track her down later, even the last four digits would help us determine which of several people with similar names is her but without leaving her feeling so exposed. I'll write a whole post soon on our desire for our child to be able to access the donor in the future as an adult if she/he wants to. It's a big deal to me/us.

    So that's the update as of today. More soon on a bit about E. and why we chose her, as well as the relationship we're trying to establish with her (aiming for a semi-known donation...)

    Mo

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    16 comments:

    1. You know I love the detail :) and these posts are just doing it for me (how sad am I?!)

      I wonder if she doesn't just want a comeback from the child - "you're my mother" kind of thing?

      Thinking aloud...

      PS what is your MBTI?

      ReplyDelete
    2. Wonderful news on the donor as far as tests - sounds very promising. I hope you get in the December timeframe for your cycle...Christmas baby!

      You raise some interesting points on donor eggs - I had not thought about the blood type issue before, very interesting. I hope you are able to establish a semi-known donation status. It seems like many of the mother of donor egg children end up wanting to have that option for their children later in life.

      Thanks as always for sharing this information.

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    3. so glad to hear this.

      it is a little strange to not give the info, right? but maybe it will be easier for her to just think of it as an egg? like an eye or blood or something? and that YOU and WILL are the ones who will be making embryos? i don't know...just pondering. she's young...she may change her mind later, right?

      i so hope you can cycle in december! :)

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    4. So glad things are moving along nicely (except the camping during CD1).

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    5. So excited for you both! Here's to a December BFP :)

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    6. I cannot read this post without sharing... those look amazingly like my numbers(FSH 6.3,AMH 5.3 AFC 34, E2 23) from a year ago. At my age, the AMH and the AFC suggested PCOS. At her age (She is in her early 20s right?), it just probably means she has bushels of eggs sitting in her ovaries.

      I'd also HIGHLY recommend getting her vitamin D3 tested and making sure she is nice and high before you embark on this journey....

      Glad things are coming along, and everything about E is checking out so nicely!

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    7. Yay for donor progress!

      33 resting follicles is amazing. My donor had 15 when she had her medical screening (she's 28).

      I hope you get the December cycle - so much waiting...

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    8. Sounds like you haved a great donor. Hopefully you can work something out about the donor name, birthdate, etc. My little miracle was concived with donor embryos and we have a semi-open relationship with our donors. We know their first names and can send messages through our agency. I think it may be important to our child one day to contact them.

      We are blesses that our child has a blood type that matches mine and my husband. I have thought it was nice, but hadn't considered the high school science class perspective. Good point.

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    9. I am just so excited by this post - such great stats from the donor.

      I'm still following you and rooting for you ... and hoping early December gets here quickly for you!!!

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    10. Mo...I am sorry your donor declined the waiver to be identified when the resulting child turns 18. About 3 weeks ago I contacted CCRM to see if we could somehow ask our donor for the same disclosure of my son's 18th birthday. Her ER was in September 2010. This is when I learned of CCRM's new policy as you mention. I was/am crushed about this...so I know how you feel. I wrote two blog posts about it earlier this month. Anyway, take care.

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    11. Glad that things are moving along. I hope that you are able to move forward with a Dec. cycle and are also able to work out a semi-open relationship with E.

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    12. Yes! So excited that everything is looking so promising!!!

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    13. December is so close already. How exciting! We didn't purposely consider blood type in selecting our sperm donor, but once we chose one it was a relief to see that our children's blood types also wouldn't prematurely reveal anything about their nontraditional genetics. I'm of the opinion, too, that it's their story to share or to keep secret. The real challenge will be in figuring out how and when to tell them, and how much at a time. But what a great problem to have. I hope this works fr you!!

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    14. I have absolutely no idea what any of those numbers mean BUT it sounds exciting! I don't understand at all why your agency would say they have such an all or nothing kind of policy about identifying information! Not having access to some of that would be really sad for me, too. Best of luck for a Dec BFP!!!!

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    15. Wow, that is great that your blood types match. Same thing happened to me, I discovered after the fact that we have the same blood type.

      That is sad that you donor doesn't want to share this information with your your possible child. I wish this was an option when I cycled. Maybe I need to get off my a$$ and email my clinic about this.

      Looking forward to hearing more about your upcoming cycle in Dec!!!

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    16. Donors are also screened to ensure that they are capable of producing enough eggs for a successful IVF cycle.

      Egg Donor(s)

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