Process & Procedure

Physician /Practitioner Consult

Each recipient or recipient couple must start the process with an office visit with our Reproductive Endocrinologist, Dr. Horvath. At this visit, we will review and discuss your medical history and treatment plan. For recipients with medical conditions that may affect the course of the pregnancy, a consultation with an internist or a maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist may be required. Recipients are placed on the Donor Egg waiting list at the time of this consultation.


Please Note: A recipient couple’s name on the Donor Egg waiting list is activated upon completion of the Pre-Cycle requirement checklist (Information on this checklist is addressed later in this document).


Nurse Coordinator Consult

Each couple must meet with our Donor Egg Coordinator. At this visit, the coordinator will explain the process step by step, review your pre-testing requirement and answer any questions you may have. The coordinator will also guide you to any additional resources you may require.


Psychological Counseling

You have made a major decision in using donated eggs for family-building. The psychological, family and social issues related to the genetic makeup of your future child can be addressed during a scheduled visit with our staff social worker.


Financial Counseling and Clearance

Your egg donor will complete extensive medical and psychological screening before being accepted into the program.


Please Note: Recipients are responsible for all charges related to donor recruitment, screening, ovarian stimulation and monitoring, egg retrieval and donor compensation.


Fees will be addressed during your meeting with our financial advisor. We encourage you to explore potential insurance coverage before this meeting.


Medications for the Donor

Medications for your donor will be ordered through a mail order pharmacy and delivered to Albany IVF directly. Once a donor/recipient match has been made, we will review this process in detail.


Pre-Cycle Requirement Checklist

We aim to optimize the likelihood of success with all IVF cycles, including donor egg cycles, so we require extensive workups for both the recipient couple and for the donor. To receive access to donor profiles, all pre-cycle testing must be completed.


Recipient Required Testing

  • Psychological Consult
  • Uterine Cavity Evaluation: Lesions in the uterine cavity such as small fibroids or polyps may interfere with embryo implantation. Ideally, the uterine cavity should be inpristine condition at the time of embryo transfer. There are three main ways we evaluate the uterine cavity. Typically we use a procedure called sonohysterography, but hysterosalpingography and hysteroscopy are also used.
  • Pap Smear/Test (within one year)
  • Recipients over 40 are required to have a yearly mammogram and must arrange to have the report sent to us for our records.
  • Infectious disease testing.

Male Partner Requirements

  • Complete semen analysis at our andrology lab (within four months of embryo transfer)
  • Infectious disease blood work

Donor/Recipient Matching

Once the recipient couple completes the requirements, donor profiles are presented based on their requested donor criteria. Donor profiles may be viewed by more than one recipient couple at a time and selection is on a first call basis. Once a donor is chosen, the donor and recipient synchronization process begins.


If we do not have a donor to suit your needs, you may use an outside donor egg agency. In this case:

  • No agency fees will be included in your financial obligation to Albany IVF.
  • All donor screening required by Albany IVF protocols will apply.
  • Any donor screening done outside of Albany IVF must be submitted to and approved by an Albany IVF practitioner before cycling begins. This includes a summary letter noting psychological clearance of the donor.
  • We encourage you retain an attorney familiar with third party reproduction to review the donor egg agreement.
  • Stimulation of donors must be done at Albany IVF.
  • Any previous stimulation protocols used by the donor should be made available to Albany IVF.

Cycle Synchronization

Once the recipient couple chooses their donor and is matched, cycle synchronization must occur. Both the donor and recipient will be started on a low dose oral contraceptive pill (OCP). After 14-21 days, Lupron is started and overlaps with the OCP for about three days. Once blood work and ultrasound reveal donor and recipient are suppressed, donor ovarian stimulation is initiated.


Ovarian Stimulation / Endometrial Preparation

Both parties continue on Lupron. The donor will self-administer injections to stimulate the growth of numerous follicles in her ovaries. The recipient will be given hormone therapy to prepare her uterus for embryo transfer.


Egg Retrieval

When the donor is deemed to be ready for egg retrieval, she takes an injection of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Thirty-six hours after this injection, the donor’s eggs are retrieved using ultrasound guidance.


On the day of the retrieval, the recipient’s husband or partner will be instructed to supply a fresh semen sample which will be specially processed in the andrology lab. This will be a scheduled appointment. There are designated private collection rooms in our office.


Fertilization and Embryo Transfer

After egg retrieval, the eggs are examined and place in a specialized culture medium. In about four hours, the embryologist will perform intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) on the mature eggs, using the processed sperm obtained at the time of the retrieval.


Three or five days after egg retrieval and ICSI, selected embryos are transferred into the recipient’s uterus. Any remaining embryos may be cryopreserved for later transfers if this option is chosen. A catheter is inserted through the cervix into the uterus, where the embryos are carefully placed. This procedure does not require anesthesia. The recipient will remain in a reclined position for about10 minutes after the procedure.


Post Embryo Transfer

The recipient continues daily hormone treatments to sustain an optimal uterine environment for implantation. About two weeks after embryo transfer, the first pregnancy test is performed. If a positive result is determined, you will be instructed to return to the office in two days for a repeat pregnancy test. The hormone level ideally should double in this two- day interval. If you are pregnant, you are considered to be two weeks gestational age from the day of the donor’s egg retrieval procedure.


Between 6-8 weeks gestation, an ultrasound will be performed to determine pregnancy location and the number of gestational sacs. Hormonal support is continued until about 12 weeks gestation. If pregnancy testing is negative, you will discontinue all hormonal treatment and expect to menstruate in about 4-14 days. If cryopreserved embryos are available, preparation for a frozen-thawed embryo transfer may begin.


Reasons for Cancellation or Postponement of Treatment Cycle

  • Estrogen level on baseline blood work is elevated.
  • Cysts found on baseline ultrasound.
  • Inappropriate rise in estrogen levels during stimulation.
  • Insufficient follicular development during stimulation.
  • Failure of eggs to fertilize.
  • Premature ovulation or luteinization despite Lupron therapy.
  • Medical illness during treatment.
  • Other emergent situations beyond the patient’s or Albany IVF’s control.