Side Effects of Egg Donation: What to Expect

All medical interventions have the risk of side-effects because people respond or react in varied ways. When one has to take any medication, or undergo a medical procedure, one of the first points of discussion has to do with side effects. Side effects can be uncomfortable and disruptive to a person’s regular activities, therefore the concern about what to expect is valid. 

Egg donation is a medical process that involves medications, hormones and a medical procedure. It comes then as no surprise, with so much happening to the body, a potential egg donor may wonder how this process will impact their regular routine. So let us discuss the side effects of egg donation sequentially, addressing what to expect at each phase of the process as well, what one can do about it.

Common Short-Term Side Effects

To start us off we shall address the more common side effects in the short-term:

Before Egg Retrieval

Once an egg donor has been screened and qualified to donate their eggs, they will undergo a process called ovarian stimulation. The purpose of this process is to facilitate the development of multiple antral follicles to maturity. In the natural cycle, several follicles are released at one go by the ovaries, but one becomes more dominant as they mature. Once this dominant follicle matures, releasing the egg within, the other follicles are discarded. Ovarian stimulation seeks to take advantage of the fact that multiple follicles are released, by maturing as many of these as possible.

Ovarian stimulation is done with medications and hormones over the course of three to four weeks. This causes an influx in the natural balance of hormones where the body responds in different ways to the elevated hormone levels. As a result, an egg donor may experience bloating, breast tenderness, mood changes, lethargy, abdominal cramps or headaches. For some egg donors these symptoms occur in their normal menstrual cycle, but for others, this may be new. Additionally, the hormones are administered as injectables, resulting in some bruising or soreness around the injection site. 

During Egg Retrieval

Once the follicles are mature and ready to be retrieved, the egg donor will undergo an egg retrieval procedure which is done under sedation. The sedation is necessary because the procedure is mildly invasive. It is conducted using a transvaginal ultrasound which assists the doctor to locate the eggs, and a long needle which is used to gently pierce the follicles and aspirate the matured eggs within. Under sedation, the egg donor does not feel any pain or discomfort over the duration of about 20 to 30 minutes that the procedure is conducted in.  

After Egg Retrieval

Once the eggs have been successfully retrieved, the egg donor will be taken to a room to rest for about an hour or two. The sedation will cause light headedness and the short period of rest gives the anesthetic time to wear off. Even so, egg donors are advised not to operate any machinery, including driving themselves home, therefore they will be advised to make alternative transport arrangements home. 

Apart from feeling light headed, once the sedation wears off, an egg donor may still experience lethargy, abdominal cramps and light spotting due to the nature of the egg retrieval procedure. If there is any pain, typically it can be managed with some ibuprofefn or tylenol. Abdominal cramps can also be managed with a heating pad, but overall, a few days of rest, avoiding major activity, including sex, will help the body recover fully.  

Rare But Serious Complications

While the more common side effects can be managed with ease, there are some rare, but more serious complications that an egg donor can experience. In such instances immediate medical intervention would be required urgently, to prevent further complications. Let us look at these through each stage of egg donation:

Before Retrieval

As we had mentioned earlier, ovarian stimulation causes an influx of hormones in the bloodstream. The body can have a severe reaction to this resulting in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) presenting symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping.  In more severe cases, one could experienced a rapid gain in weight, persistent nausea and vomiting, severe bloating and an enlarged abdomen, severe abdominal cramps and blood clots, decreased urination and shortness of breath. 

Again, even if it is rare, one can experience ovarian torsion, where the ovary gets entangled in the fallopian tube or ovarian ligament. Ovarian torsion chokes the ovary in a sense, cutting off the blood supply and oxygen to the ovary. The symptoms of an entangled ovary include a sudden and severe pain in the lower abdomen, vomiting, nausea, and cramping. A person could lose their ovary if they do not get surgery in good time. It has been discovered that if a person has ovarian cysts or they have a history or polycystic ovaries, their risk of ovarian torsion during ovarian stimulation is higher.

During Retrieval

The egg retrieval procedure uses sharp surgical tools. There is a risk of injuring parts of the reproductive organs or the organs surrounding the uterus. Complications involving injuries to the bowels, bladder, uterus, or nicking a major blood vessel can occur. While the egg retrieval procedure is conducted by qualified experts to minimize these risks, the risks are real and must be addressed immediately in  the rare instance they would occur, to prevent further complications.

After Retrieval

The more severe side effects following egg retrieval are also rare, but equally require immediate medical attention to prevent complications. While some mild spotting may be expected, an egg donor may experience heavy bleeding instead. Although the procedure is conducted under hygienic conditions, a person could get an infection emanating from the retrieval site resulting in a fever. It is important to seek medical attention in these instances. 

How to Manage Recovery

If the egg retrieval was successful without any complications, rest for a few days assists greatly in recovery. One may be given some painkillers to manage any pain and advised to refrain from rigorous or vigorous activities. As well, one should not engage in sexual intercourse to avoid creating complications. This period of rest is vital to paying close attention to what the body is feeling, to catch any additional symptoms early. Further, one can expect to have a few follow up medical checkups and some counseling to help one process or debrief.

Conclusion

As we have seen, the side-effects one may experience during the egg donation process could be mild and manageable, or severe requiring emergency care. Professional medical practitioners take every precaution to prevent the severity of side effects and symptoms. Having said that, there is no way to predict how any egg donor would respond to treatment ahead of time. 

As such, egg donors are advised on all the possible side-effects and symptoms they could experience, and are advised on what to do when these are severe. If you are considering donating your eggs, come and speak with the fertility experts at Utah Fertility Center. We offer expert care with compassion to each of our patients as we support you through your egg donor journey.

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