Screening involves taking an egg donor medical history

When you decide to become an egg donor, our fertility center will conduct several assessments to determine your overall health. This protects both our donors and the intended parents. One of these steps is providing an egg donor medical history and family history. This information allows our physicians to see a more complete profile of potential egg donors.

Medical history offers essential information during egg donor screening

To minimize the risk of passing on illness or other medical conditions to a child, our fertility center assembles an extensive health profile on our prospective donors. These details offer a more complete picture of your general wellbeing. For this assessment, we will discuss the following:

• Reproductive health. Your physician will need to evaluate your potential fertility, so we will want to know about the age of your first period, regularity of cycles, any problems related to menstruation and any past pregnancies or children. Additionally, you will also undergo a physical examination and ultrasound as part of the egg donor screening process.
• Overall health. Our staff will also ask questions to get a sense of your lifestyle. We will want to know if potential donors eat a balanced diet, exercise frequently and don’t smoke or drink excessively so that we can identify any potential risk factors.
• Family history. Medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma and certain cancers can have a hereditary component. Consequently, we will ask for relevant information about your parents, grandparents, siblings and other close relatives.

Genetic screening provides useful details in egg donor screening

As part of egg donor screening, we will complete a genetic analysis of potential donor candidates. The genetic testing provides important data about any hereditary illnesses.

Once we receive the results of the genetic evaluation, we will review the report with you and answer any questions that arise.

With genetic testing, the screening includes:

• A full chromosome analysis
• DNA testing for diseases such as cystic fibrosis, fragile X, sickle cell, Tay Sachs, spinal muscular atrophy and familial dysautonomia

A critical component of egg donor screening involves providing a detailed medical and family history. These health biographies allow us to gather valuable information about our egg donors. If you have any questions about the egg donor screening process, contact our office to schedule a consultation.