The IVF doctor will order a 2^nd round of bloodwork and these tests will take 2-4 weeks before results are received.

a.  Donor’s blood type. For more information visit our Articles & Videos and review the Article entitled:  on Understanding Blood Types.

b.  Social Disease Testing – Every doctor’s office has their own requirements for social disease testing and in most cases these tests are dictated by law or a medical governing body. In the USA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires the following testing be completed on all egg donors:

• • HIV, types 1 and 2
  • Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
  • Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
  • Treponema pallidum (syphilis)
  • Chlamydia trachomatis
  • Neisseria gonorrhea
  • West Nile virus

Most IVF clinics will require these tests as a minimum and will have a list of additional testing needed.  Be aware that if the donor is sexually active, frequently her partner may also need to undergo social disease testing.

c.  Genetic Testing & Karyotype Testing: Most egg donors are screened for a minimum of 23 genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis and inherited disorders related to hemoglobin, such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia, depending on ethnicity addition.  Some egg donor agencies and IVF clinics will screen donors for close to 300 genetic disorders. The field of genetics is thriving, and additional tests are continually being discovered.  It is, however, important to note that being a carrier is not the same as having the genetic condition in question.  A donor may be a carrier of a genetic condition but does not have that genetic condition herself.  We are all carriers for several genetic conditions, only some of which can be detected with today’s technology. Being a carrier is part of being human – it is normal.   In addition, a negative test result greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the possibility that the child will not be a carrier of or have an inheritable condition.   

If an intended parent elects to have their donor undergo genetic testing and karyotype testing, then it is also recommended that the intended father undergoes the same testing so their results can be compared.  If a sperm donor is involved, it is recommended that the egg donor duplicate the testing already undertaken by the sperm donor.  We also encourage you to schedule a session with a certified genetic counselor to review these results.

• • Genetic screening – screens for a family history of birth defects or hereditary diseases by taking a comprehensive family history
  • Karyotype testing, test for blood type and screened for cystic fibrosis and inherited disorders related to hemoglobin, such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia, depending on ethnicity.

d.  Urine drug screen – This test is done at the beginning of the screening process and sometimes repeated just before the aspiration.