Are you currently on birth control? This may be a contributing factor to whether you can begin the altruistic journey of egg donation! There is a steadily rising use of many forms of contraceptive birth control among younger and older women. In the United States, roughly six in ten women are currently using some form of contraception, so, a high percentage of potential egg donors will already be on birth control. So, can you donate eggs on birth control? Read on to discover the navigations of contraception and the opportunities to give the ultimate gift of life to longing parents while maintaining your contraceptive usage.
What are the general uses and benefits of birth control?
There are a multitude of uses for birth control among the general female population:
- Help regulate period cycles.
- Lessen cramping, PMS, and Anemia
- Lessen symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
- Help prevent pregnancy.
- Help prevent or lessen acne or cysts
Types of female birth control range from:
- Birth control pill
- IUD
- Hormonal ring (NuvaRing)
- Birth control patch
- Injection (Depo Provera)
- Implant (Nexplanon/Implanon)
Can you donate eggs on birth control?
Can you donate eggs on birth control? Technically, yes, but let’s break down this question even further. You can donate eggs on birth control depending on which form you are using. Some birth control methods interact negatively with egg donation in the following ways:
- skew hormonal testing results.
- interfere with your cycle.
- reduce fertility rates rather than blocking fertilization of stopping ovulation.
Accepted forms of birth control are listed below:
- Birth control pill
- IUD
- Hormonal ring
- Birth control patch
Unaccepted forms of birth control are listed below:
- Depo Provera (the shot)- This form of birth control releases hormones into your body that lower overall fertility rates and will affect our clinical staff’s ability to mature your eggs.
- Implanon/Nexplanon- You may not donate your eggs if you have this arm implant inserted.
What do I do if I’m taking an unaccepted form of birth control?
If you are on an unaccepted form of birth control, do not fret! This will not permanently disqualify you from being an egg donor. We allow all potential donors the opportunity to discontinue use of any unaccepted forms. After discontinuance, donors will just need to let their body go through two regular period cycles, and they may reach out to us again!
Will I need to stop taking my birth control pills at any point?
There will come a point in the egg donation journey where our clinical staff will ask that you temporarily pause your birth control pills. Most egg donors should be able to stay on their birth control during the entire screening process. This will come when you are ready to begin hormone stimulation two weeks before egg retrieval.
Will I need to take my IUD or NuvaRing (Hormonal Ring) out before donating eggs?
Your IUD or hormonal ring will not need to be removed, as it does not impede the egg retrieval process. We can still collect and mature your eggs just the same!
What if I’m not on any form of birth control at all?
If you are not using any form of birth control, you can still qualify to be an egg donor.
Can I be sexually active during the egg donation journey?
Let’s talk about hormones! In the 2-week period before your awaited egg retrieval date, you will be stimulating your ovaries with hormonal shots to prepare them for collection. These will be small injections used with subcutaneous needles in your abdomen. These added hormones in your body will make you extremely fertile and at a high risk of becoming pregnant, especially with multiple fetuses. So, we advise all egg donors not to engage in intercourse in that two-week period.
Can I donate my eggs if my tubes are tied?
Tubal litigation is also a form of pregnancy prevention and sterilization. Tying your tubes is a surgical procedure that prevents pregnancy but cutting off the egg’s ability to travel from the ovaries to the uterus. During egg retrieval, a select number of eggs will be retrieved from the donor’s ovaries before they have been released into the fallopian tubes. So, tubal litigation does not affect our ability to retrieve eggs, as we do not collect them from the Fallopian tubes.
Come donate your eggs with us!
If you are taking an accepted form of birth control, or not on any form of contraception at all, you can apply to donate right away and see if you meet our other qualifications! If you are on an unaccepted birth control, you can always decide to discontinue or change forms of birth control, and we’ll be here when you’re ready!
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