What are the risks and discomforts of the oocyte donation procedure?
Participating as a donor in the Oocyte Donation Program should not cause long-lasting effects on your future fertility. Please discuss your concerns with your health care provider. • The drawing of blood samples and the medication injections may cause local discomfort, redness or bruising at the needle site. • Taking gonadotropins (“fertility drugs”) may cause mild side effects such as breast tenderness, fluid retention, mood changes, or abdominal bloating or discomfort. • The main risk of the stimulatory medications is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). OHSS is caused by an exaggerated response of the ovaries to the medications. It causes the ovaries to enlarge due to multiple cysts and may cause lower abdominal discomfort, bloating or pain. Severe OHSS occurs in less than one percent of women, but it is a serious condition and can be life-threatening. In less than one percent of patients, the ovaries can twist (called ovarian torsion), possibly leading to a surgical emergency
