Next Steps And Treatment 
Arranging your appointment
You will need to complete an Egg Sharer Initial Registration Form and your details will be recorded and reviewed by one of the doctors. If you match all the relevant criteria to be an egg sharer we would be delighted to offer you an initial consultation free of charge. If we request that you bring copies of previous medical records or your recent FSH results, please do so. Please contact a member of our egg donation team on 020 7089 1455.
Screening tests
A full medical examination will be done and a full history taken which will include details of your family history. You will be asked to consent to the clinic's communication with your GP, who will be requested to give an opinion on your suitability as a donor. This information will include consideration of 'The Welfare of the Child', as required by The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (1990). You also will be expected to complete answers on a standard form about this issue. Bridge will carry out the following investigations:
| Blood tests: | Other Tests: |
| Blood group | Cervical swab for Chlamydia |
| Chromosome studies | High vaginal swab to check for presence of vaginal infection |
| Cystic Fibrosis | Pelvic ultrasound scan |
| Cytomegalovirus status | |
| Thalassaemia when appropriate | |
| Hepatitis B and C | |
| HIV | |
| Rubella | |
| Sickle Test when appropriate | |
| VDRL |
According to the HFEA Code of Practice 6th Edition 'it is expected that stored embryos will not be used if they have been created less than 180 days before the most recent negative antibody tests on both donors'.
Therefore you should repeat test for HIV 180 days after egg collection.
In some cases these tests can be performed locally by your GP - ask us if this would be more convenient for you
The male partner must have:
a Semen analysis at Bridge; and be screened for:
- HIV - a HFEA requirement
- Hepatitis B - a HFEA requirement
- Hepatitis C - a HFEA requirement
These three tests can be performed locally by your GP or at Bridge.
Counselling
A fertility counsellor will see all donor and recipient couples prior to treatment. This service will also be available at any time during or after treatment. We appreciate that this is an emotionally stressful time for you and your partner and it sometimes helps to alleviate this if you talk to someone. The counsellors at Bridge are very experienced in the field of infertility and anything you discuss with them will be in strict confidence.
Consent
After receiving information and counselling you will be requested to give your consent to egg sharing. You will be free to modify, or even withdraw, your consent at any time until the eggs are used, but should you do so, you will no longer qualify for a free IVF cycle.
In addition to the statutory consent required, we will complete a separate agreement between you and Bridge which confirms your treatment rights.
Treatment
Two clinicians will be involved, one responsible for the Egg Sharer and the other one responsible for the overall care of the Recipient.
As advised by the HFEA, "each clinician will act as an independent advocate for their patient, ensuring that their respective needs and wishes are protected throughout the course of their treatment and clinical decisions are made in their best interest".
How are the eggs shared?
To ensure that egg sharing does not compromise the egg provider's treatment, and to ensure that the interests of both parties are respected, Bridge has drawn up an Egg Sharing Policy, which clearly states a fair, equitable and ethical approach for both parties.
The Bridge Egg Sharing Policy
- If eight or more eggs are collected they will be shared equally between donor and recipient, and at random. In the case of an unequal number of eggs, the donor will retain the additional egg.
- If eight eggs or less are collected, the donor will keep a minimum of four eggs.
- If ovarian response is low (i.e. three or less mature follicles) the cycle will be cancelled* and the donor will be discharged from the programme
*Cancellation of the cycle
In accordance with our standard protocol for IVF, the cycle will be cancelled prior to egg collection if 3 or less mature follicles are available. In this case, you will be discharged from the Egg Sharing Programme.
Bridge is licensed by the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority to perform IVF, microsurgical fertilisations and treatments using donated eggs and sperm and to store genetic material.