What is donor matching?

Donor matching is an absolute requirement for any organ donation process to treat organ failure of a critically ill patient. But in this article, we will consider the donor matching process for infertility treatment. Intended parents who seek either egg or sperm donor or both are looking for some commonalities between them and the donor. However, the matching process is similar across the different agencies.

What is donor matching?

Requirement of egg donor

Egg donor requirement becomes high nowadays because of a variety of reasons. Male same-sex couples often want to start their family. And for this, they need donor eggs to use surrogacy to create their family. Apart from these, age-related infertility requires egg donors to solve the underlying cause. The doctor suggests using a donor egg in case of repeated IVF failure. The ovaries naturally start shrinking after 40 years of female age. Some cancer survival women need an egg donor to start their family because cancer treatment affects their fertility. The decision to take help from an egg donor is extremely personal and involves multiple factors to decide.

Common considering factors to select a donor

Application for donating egg is a long process with the adequate reason of the purpose. In-vitro-fertilization (IVF) clinic requires detailed information for donor screening purposes. Some information details also require for the matching process between the donor and intended parents requirements. A mutual matching process between parents and donor is of utmost need to continue the process of egg donation. Following are common considering characteristics to selecting egg donor:

  • Physical appearance
  • Education level
  • Talents and hobbies
  • Religious background
  • Cultural context

Most of the parents looking for a donor who has a similar physical appearance to them like dark skin, or blue eyes, blond hair to match the social compatibility. The educational qualification-related questions for donors help to perceive the donor’s desires and lifestyle. The profile of the donor usually requires a photograph and a wealth of information to help intended parents make the right decision.

Donor requires visiting the clinic to harmonize with the matching process and to start the medical process.

The Steps of the Matching Process

Completion of the initial matching process is completed when prospective parents accept the profile of the donor. In many cases, the initial round starts with a telephonic conversation with the clinic regarding the egg donation process before disclosing the profile of the donor. The donor needs to submit the signed document providing photos, identity details, and educational level before starts the matching process officially. Some important details like nicotine use, birth control use, and monthly cycle information may the agency ask before considering one to become an egg donor.

The document also contains some questions that need an explanation about the qualities one has to consider her to a prospective egg donor. Overall egg donor selection and the process is lengthy.

Step 1

Agency when considering one’s profile for egg donation then the matching process starts. Intended parents receive a notification for a donor profile update. Then, it starts the waiting period which may last for few days to several months for a match. The medical process starts after the completion of the matching process.

Step 2

The donor will receive a notification from the agency after profile selection. The agency updates the cycle timeline information that suits both the donor and receiver. Some agencies also share prospective parents' profiles with the donor to review. Intended parents can meet with donors depending upon the type of agreement made between the agency and prospective parents through a call.

Step 3

The clinic will provide a detailed plan for medical screening and egg retrieval schedule to the donor. After line up all the dates, some healthcare staff escorts donors through the egg donation process. Both physical and psychological screening processes are performed. After completion of the screening process and the report is accepted by the intended parents, then some legal documents require signing. Then the matching process is completed and the medical process starts for egg induction and retrieval. All the procedures-related expenses are paid by intended parents.

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