Jordan and Josh of Uniontown, PA, knew it wouldn’t be easy to start a family of their own. At the young age of 26, Jordan was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure (POF), also known as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)—a condition in which ovulation and menses end before the age of 40. Women who develop this have a severely diminished or depleted egg supply in their ovaries.
“Prior to my diagnosis, it was always my biggest dream to have children,” says Jordan. “When I initially learned I would need an egg donor, I was absolutely devastated. Years went by and I saw various doctors, but none of them seemed inclined to help me or give me any hope. After I married my husband, Josh, we got more serious about starting a family, and decided to go straight to the best. We sought out treatment with Dr. Jason Bromer at Shady Grove Fertility.”
“SGF offers truly compassionate, personalized care. We understand the intimate nature of fertility treatment and try to exhibit compassion and empathy at every turn. When it comes to premature ovarian failure, donor egg treatment is the only effective infertility treatment,” said Jason Bromer, M.D., who sees patients in SGF’s Frederick and Hagerstown, MD, locations.
Donor egg treatment is intended for women who are unable to use their own eggs for conception but can still carry a child. Through an egg donor, an individual or couple at SGF can select a fully medically, genetically, and psychologically prescreened egg donor who best suits their family and is ready to cycle and donate, without the wait. While SGF’s donor registry de-identifies the donors, the donor registry provides prospective recipients (the intended parents) with a wealth of information about the donor, including, in many cases, adult photos.
SGF is one of only a few centers in the nation that selects and prescreens its own egg donors prior to making them available on their donor registry. Much more commonly, fertility centers rely on an agency to select donors, which adds significant costs, passed on to the intended parents. “While neither recipients nor donors are given any identifying information about one another, at SGF the recipients are given a wealth of information about the donor, such as medical and family history, education, physical characteristics, in order to aid in the selection process,” says Michele Purcell, MHA, RN, Director, Specialty Programs at SGF.
Once Dr. Bromer explained the donor egg process, Jordan and Josh said they felt encouraged to move forward with their treatment plan and the support of the SGF team. They were thrilled to find out that their first cycle was a success.
“I sobbed with happiness; I could barely believe it. We had our miracle baby girl, and plan on using another of our three remaining embryos to give her a sibling in the future. She is the light of our lives, our greatest gift from God, and our reason for existing,” said Jordan.
Jordan reflected on her experience and how having a child via donor egg treatment was the best decision she has ever made.
“If I could go back in time years earlier, hopeless and beside myself with sadness, I would tell myself that there’s nothing to be sad about because the greatest joy you’ve ever known is just ahead. I would tell myself to hang in there and have faith. I would never trade our story for another. Our little girl is perfect in every way, and I am SO happy that we had this beautiful chapter in our lives. I am grateful every single day, and never take it for granted,” adds Jordan.
Thousands of SGF patients have become parents thanks to the generosity of egg donors, whom are compensated generously by SGF for their time, effort, and commitment, not for their actual oocytes/eggs. SGF compensates its donors at various points throughout the prescreening and donation process.
“As I was contemplating donating my eggs, friends and family reminded me to never underestimate the impact that I could have on someone else’s life. Funny, as now, I feel like my life has also been forever changed. By giving something so precious away to someone in need, I felt immeasurable, indescribable joy in return,” adds one former SGF egg donor.
Under SGF’s stringent screening requirements, any woman between the ages of 21-32 who meets certain criteria and has knowledge of her family history may be considered for egg donation. A short online application with a prompt reply identifies if a candidate is pre-qualified to become an egg donor at SGF. Once pre-qualified, all egg donor candidates must complete a comprehensive personal and family medical history questionnaire. “We take our screening process very seriously and are intentionally selective in order to try and protect the health of the baby and the intended mother,” adds Purcell.
SGF, a pioneer in offering an IVF treatment financial guarantee for donor egg, makes treatment affordable through their exclusive Shared Donor Egg Program and Shared Risk 100% Refund Program for Donor Egg Treatment. The Shared Risk 100% Refund Program offers patients up to six donor egg cycles and any subsequent frozen embryo transfers (FETs) for one flat fee. In the event the attempts are unsuccessful, the patient may be eligible for a 100% refund. SGF’s Donor Egg Program provides patients with a highly effective treatment to overcome infertility, with a 60% clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer.
To learn more about SGF’s Donor Egg Treatment Program, information seekers and/or current SGF patients may attend a free patient seminar in SGF’s newest Manhattan, NY office on Thursday, January 23, 2020. Dr. Anate Brauer, board certified reproductive endocrinologist, will provide an in-depth look into donor egg treatment at SGF. Attendees can ask questions one-on-one with Dr. Brauer following the seminar, and all attendees will be entered into a raffle to win $1,000 off their donor egg treatment cycle.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment with an SGF physician, please speak with one of our New Patient Liaisons at 877-971-7755 or fill out this brief form.
For international patients, to learn more about SGF’s International Donor Egg Treatment Program or for help choosing an egg donor, please reach us by phone at 0208 003 0827 or email Amanda Segal, International Patient Liaison, at [email protected].
Watch SGF’s International Donor Egg On-Demand Webinar, hosted by Joseph Doyle, M.D. and International Patient Liaison, Amanda Segal. Attendees will learn about SGF’s internally renowned Donor Egg Treatment Program, which offers concierge-level coordination of care, high success rates, and innovative financial options. Viewers will also learn more about our donor egg registry, the donor recruitment process, and tips for selecting an egg donor, in addition to receiving temporary access to the database.
