The People And Services That Will Help You On Your Donor Egg Journey

When you're trying to start a family through egg donation, it can feel like you're navigating a maze of unfamiliar terms and unfamiliar people. Who do you need to see? What do they do? And when should you see them? Here, we'll break down the different members of your fertility team and what services they provide, to help you understand who you'll be working with on your family building journey.

Your Primary Care Physician (PCP) is the doctor you see for your general healthcare needs, and they may be the first person you talk to about trying to conceive. They can help you with basic information on fertility and may be able to refer you to a specialist if needed.

An Obstetrician-Gynecologist (OBGYN) is a doctor who specializes in women's reproductive health, and they can provide more detailed information on fertility and pregnancy. If you are planning to carry the pregnancy, this is the person who will be with you on that journey. 

A Fertility Clinic, is a medical facility that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, including IVF through egg donation. They are staffed by a team of specialists including reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists, nurses, and counselors, who work together to help couples and individuals achieve their goal of having a family. You may work with one or two clinics depending on the location of your egg donor, and where you agree to do the egg retrieval and embryo transfer.

Your Reproductive Endocrinologist (REI), or fertility doctor, is an OBGYN who specializes in the hormonal and medical aspects of fertility, and treats patients through Assisted reproductive technology (ART). The REI is the one who will manage the egg retrieval process with the egg donor, as well as the transfer of the embryos to the intended mother or gestational carrier.

A Nurse Coordinator at a fertility clinic is a registered nurse (RN) who plays a vital role in the care and management of patients undergoing IVF. They work closely with the entire fertility team, to provide comprehensive care. The specific responsibilities of a nurse coordinator at a fertility clinic may vary depending on the clinic's policies and procedures, but generally includes patient education, scheduling, medication management, and communication. 

The Embryologist also works at the fertility clinic and is the scientist who helps fertilize and grow your embryos! They are in charge of collecting, washing, and preparing sperm samples, fertilizing the eggs in a method called insemination, monitoring the development of the embryos in the laboratory, transferring the embryos to different culture media at specific intervals to optimize their growth, freezing and thawing embryos, and helping select the best-quality embryos for transfer to the uterus. They may also perform preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) on the embryos to screen for genetic disorders before transfer.

An Egg Donation Agency, like Cofertility, is responsible for recruiting and pre-qualifying eligible donors, facilitating a mutual match between you and the donor, overseeing the administrative process, and coordinating the donor’s screening, egg retrieval procedure, and storage. 

At Cofertility, the Member Advocate is the healthcare professional and egg donation expert who supports families and egg donors on their journey. They manage all communication between the two parties and the clinic to ensure that everything runs smoothly. 

The Egg Donor is a woman who donates her eggs to your family. The eggs are fertilized with sperm in a laboratory and the resulting embryos are then transferred to the uterus of the intended mother or a gestational carrier.

Every potential egg donor will have a psychological screen with a licensed mental health professional, or Fertility Psychologist, to make sure she is fully prepared, ready, and understands what it means to serve as an egg donor. Many intended parents also undergo a psychoeducational consultation, which gives them a chance to ask questions and learn more about becoming a parent through egg donation. Similarly, a Fertility Counselor can provide emotional support throughout the process. 

Some clinics have a Financial Counselor on staff to help you navigate the costs of fertility treatments. They can help you understand insurance coverage and financing options. 

A Third-Party Reproduction Lawyer, or Fertility Lawyer, is an attorney who specializes in the legal aspects of fertility treatments that involve the use of sperm, eggs, or embryos from a third party, such as a sperm donor, egg donor, or surrogate. This lawyer will help you navigate the complex legal issues that can arise and provide guidance on the legal rights and responsibilities of all parties involved. 

A Fertility Courier is a specialized service provider who transports and delivers frozen sperm, eggs, and embryos from one location to another. They are responsible for the safe and secure transportation of the biological materials, which are often sensitive and require specific storage conditions. Some families opt to have the eggs retrieved near the egg donor, having the sperm sent to the donor’s clinic, and having the resulting embryos shipped back to their local clinic. All via a fertility courier.

A Cryostorage Facility is a type of laboratory that specializes in the preservation of biological materials at very low temperatures, typically in liquid nitrogen, and will be where any of your embryos are stored in the long-term. Cryostorage is a method of long-term preservation that allows the biological materials to be stored indefinitely, until they are needed later down the road.

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It's important to note that not everyone needs the same team or the same services. Your fertility journey will be unique to you, and the team you work with will be tailored to your specific needs. Don't be afraid to ask questions and advocate for yourself. You deserve a team that supports you and helps you achieve your goals.

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At Cofertility, we have a preferred network of partners across the country that can help with every aspect of your egg donation journey, from the legal contracts to the embryo storage. While reading this list can feel overwhelming, if you work with us, know that we can handle most every interaction.

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