Donor Prescreening Risk Factor Questionnaire
The first step of the process is the Donor Prescreening Risk Factor Questionnaire which is conducted over the phone.  An RMIA employee will ask you a series of questions regarding your vital statistics, lifestyle, and exposures to potential diseases or toxins.  It is absolutely imperative that you answer these questions truthfully, both for your safety and the safety of the recipient(s).  If the Prescreening Risk Factor Questionnaire is accepted, you will be asked to complete a Donor Application and Medical/Genetic History Application.

Donor Application and Medical/Genetic History Application
This application will ask more in-depth questions regarding your personal and family medical and genetic history.  Once RMIA receives the application, it will be reviewed by the physician in charge of 3rd Party (Donor) Reproduction.  You may be contacted to provide clarification or additional information.  If approved to proceed, we will ask you to come to the RMIA clinic for “Visit #1.”

Visit #1
Visit #1 is a brief clinic visit which includes a height, weight, and lab check.  RMIA will collect a blood and urine sample, which will be tested for Infectious Diseases such as Human Immodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis.  RMIA will also test hormone levels that relate to ovarian function, blood type and cystic fibrosis.  It can take up to 2 weeks to get the results of the tests.   When RMIA has received the results, an RMIA employee will contact you.  If results are within normal range you will move on to “Visit #2.”

Visit  #2

Visit #2 involves: 

• Meeting the RMIA Psychologist
• Having a Physical Exam
• Signing Consents and receiving teaching on Injection Medications 
• Receiving Birth Control Pills or a Nuva Ring to help coordinate your menstrual cycle with the Recipient(s). 

** After this visit is complete, you will be added to RMIA’s Donor Pool.

Donor Pool
At this point, you have been fully approved and are waiting for an appropriate match to a recipient(s).  Matches are made based primarily on Physical Characteristics.  Often one donor will be matched with two recipients, and any eggs retrieved will be divided between them.  The decision of whether to match a donor with one or two recipients is at the discretion of the Physician, as well as the recipient’s preference.  Once a match has been made, you will be contacted by RMIA’s Donor Coordinator to schedule the dates for your cycle.  This will include start and stop dates for Birth Control, Injection Medications and Initial Monitoring, as well as the tentative date for the Transvaginal Oocyte Retrieval (TVOR).

Cycle Monitoring
Baseline Ultrasound.  All of the ultrasound procedures will be done using a transvaginal ultrasound probe.  An ultrasound is similar to a pelvic exam. A nurse will insert the ultrasound probe into the donor’s vagina to evaluate the endometrial lining, ovaries, and follicle growth.

Transvaginal Oocyte Retrieval (TVOR)
This is the procedure when the oocytes are retrieved from the donor’s ovaries.  Anesthesia will be used during the procedure so that the donor does not feel any discomfort and will be able to sleep through the procedure.  The physician will use an ultrasound machine to carefully guide a needle through the vagina and into your ovaries.   The procedure is short, averaging 15 - 20 minutes.  The donor will then spend about an hour in recovery.  During the recovery stage a RMIA nurse will be there to monitor the donor as the donor wakes up from the anesthesia.  Any discomfort following the procedure is similar to that during menstruation.
The donor MUST have a responsible adult to provide transportation after the procedure, due to the effects of anesthesia.

Follow-Up Visit
At the Follow-Up visit, the donor will meet with a nurse for a weight and vital sign check.  The nurse will ask the donor if there are any physical symptoms that the donor has experienced.  The donor can ask any further questions to the nurse during this time. The donor will receive the compensation check at this appointment.  If the donor wishes to donate again, the donor will be contacted within 2-3 months to update any information.  If the donor prefers not to donate again, the donor will be contact with in 6 months to repeat infectious disease lab tests.

Donor Cycle
A Donor Cycle will include several weeks of birth control pills or nuva-ring along with Lupron injections.  You will be asked to come to the clinic to complete a medical history, physical and blood draw around the time that you begin Lupron injections.  After approximately 1 ½ weeks of Lupron, you will come to the clinic for a baseline ultrasound.  Shortly after this appointment, you will begin the injections to stimulate your ovaries.  We will be monitoring you closely during this time, and you will be asked to come to the clinic every 1-4 days depending on how your body is responding to the medications.  When the follicles are ready, we will prepare you for egg retrieval or transvaginal oocyte retrieval(TVOR) by having you take an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin, (HCG).  The egg retrieval will take place 36 hours after this injection.