When it comes to donating your eggs, you might think that if you can donate using one form of birth control, you can donate on any form. Well, birth control is NOT all or nothing, and each can have their own components! Some birth control methods DO and DON’T harmonize perfectly with egg donation, unfortunately becoming a disqualifying factor. Can you be an egg donor with an IUD? What about the patch, implant, or birth control pills? Don’t worry, many forms are in fact accepted.
Let us be your contraceptive counselors for the next 5 minutes!
Why does birth control matter for egg donation?
So, what’s the deal with egg donation and birth control? Some aspiring donors worry that because they take birth control, the number of eggs they have, and their quality is affected by this medication. Birth control does not in the long or short term, reduce your egg count or quality. However, some forms can combat with the essential medications used prior to egg retrieval.
Hormones are crucial to the egg donation process, up until your egg retrieval. 2 weeks before the procedure, your ovaries will be stimulated via hormone injections to enlarge and produce eggs that’ll be retrieved by our clinical professionals (don’t worry only 10-20 eggs on average will be taken). Some birth control methods can interact negatively with this process in multiple ways:
- Skew the data gathered in hormonal testing.
- Releases hormones that decrease your fertility rates while you’re taking it, rather than increase them, counteracting the injections.
- Interfere with your menstrual cycle.
What is an IUD?
What exactly is an IUD? You may already have an IUD or are considering getting one. IUD stands for an intrauterine device and is put into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. There are two types:
- Copper IUD (nonhormonal) – The copper IUD constantly releases a microscopic amount of copper into the uterus. This may sound weird at first, but copper causes sperm to be unable to swim towards the egg.
- Hormonal IUD- Exactly as it sounds, the hormonal IUD releases hormones, making the mucus in your cervix thicker, blocking sperm from reaching the egg.
Can you be an egg donor with an IUD?
So, “can you be an egg donor with an IUD?” Absolutely! Whether it is a hormonal or non-hormonal IUD, most donors can complete the entire egg donation journey without having it removed.
Can I donate my eggs on other forms of birth control?
Now, for those that don’t have an IUD and are on another form, can you donate?
Birth control pills- Yes! you can donate your eggs if you are taking birth control pills.
Birth Control patch- Yes! The hormones in the birth control patch do not affect the hormone stimulation process.
Ring– Most known as the NuvaRing, donors can donate if they are on the NuvaRing!
Depo-Provera– Otherwise known as “the shot”, is not a compatible form of birth control, so the applicant would be immediately denied. Why? Depo-Provera releases the hormone progestin into the body which lowers your fertility levels. This will affect our clinical staff’s ability to test your hormone levels, and effects the timing of your donation cycle.
Nexplanon– Otherwise know as an arm implant, is not an accepted form of birth control as it also skews hormonal testing results.
Do I need to go off my birth control pills when I donate my eggs?
You may be curious whether you can continue taking your birth control as you normally do throughout the entire process. In terms of birth control pills, you may continue to take them each day, up until your 2-weeks of hormone injection, where you will temporarily pause them, and then re-start after you have retrieved.
What do I do If my birth control disqualifies me, but I still want to donate?
So, if you’re on an unaccepted form of birth control, can you NEVER donate your eggs? Luckily, you have options! We always encourage denied applicants that if you ever decide to discontinue that form of birth control and switch to another, you can re-qualify! (Only after you have had two normal periods after discontinuation.
Start the Egg Donation Journey!
Now that we’ve answered the question, “can you be an egg donor with an IUD?” and you know whether your birth control is compatible, take the first step in the process and apply to donate! Except to dedicate 30-40 minutes to our form.
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