Egg donor recipient screening is an important part of building a family with donor eggs

Our Connecticut fertility clinic requires egg donor recipient screening for patients using donor eggs. This screening increases the chance that an IVF cycle with donor eggs will result in a healthy pregnancy.

For a female patient who will carry the pregnancy, recipient screening assesses her health. The goal is to confirm she does not have any issues that could affect embryo implantation and the development of a pregnancy. For a male patient, this screening determines whether his sperm can help produce healthy embryos.

All donor egg recipients also receive psychological counseling. This counseling covers the emotional, ethical and psychological aspects of egg donation.

Screening for women wanting to conceive with donor eggs

One of the first steps for a woman using donor eggs is a review of her medical records. This review allows Dr. Andrew Levi at our Connecticut fertility clinic to get an overview of the patient’s health. After reviewing her history, he will order several types of egg donor recipient screening.

Physical exam. Patients aged 40 and over typically receive a physical exam from their primary care provider to confirm overall health. This evaluation usually includes testing for diabetes and heart disease. It may also include a mammogram, a colonoscopy and an EKG in some cases.

Bloodwork. A blood test allows us to test the recipient’s blood for blood type and Rh factor. It can also determine whether they have syphilis, rubella, hepatitis B and C, HIV, chlamydia or cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Ultrasound. Using a transvaginal ultrasound, Dr. Levi can determine if a woman has any uterine abnormalities. These include endometrial polyps, intrauterine adhesions and uterine fibroids.

After egg donor recipient screening, Dr. Levi discusses the results with the patient. He also helps her determine if she’s ready to conceive with donor eggs.

Egg donor recipient screening for male patients

As the male contributes the sperm that will fertilize the donor eggs, it’s important for him to undergo screening as well.

Semen analysis. A sperm test lets Dr. Levi assess the quantity and quality of the man’s sperm.

Blood tests. The male partner will also have bloodwork to assess his blood type and Rh factor as well as look for infectious diseases.

Additional screening. In some situations, Dr. Levi will recommend the man undergo certain health screenings.

Next steps after recipient screening

If the screening confirms the health of the donor egg recipients, they can move forward with finding their ideal egg donor. Our clinic matches patients with high-quality donors who have undergone comprehensive physical, genetic and psychological testing.

When recipient screening reveals potential health issues, Dr. Levi at our Connecticut fertility clinic helps the patients make a plan to resolve these issues and move forward. Contact us for more information about how to conceive with donor eggs.