April 18th, 2013
 Understandably, couples faced with the decision of choosing an egg donor typically have concerns about the donor’s genetic makeup. Fortunately, there are options available to help a couple identify any genetic disorders their donor might have and reduce the risk of passing these traits on to the child/children born from the donation.
There are two approaches when it comes to donor genetic screening, which are not mutually exclusive. The first and more traditional approach begins with genetic counseling. The genetic counselor will take a detailed family history from the donor and recommend specific genetic tests based on this history (and the ethnicity of the donor). Though this is still considered the standard approach in the industry, it has two potential flaws. First, the donor may be unaware of a specific genetic disease in her family or, worse, may choose not to disclose it. Also, single gene testing can be very expensive, especially when it comes to the “Jewish Panel” (performed on Ashkenazi Jewish donors), which can cost over $2,000!
A new alternative that has become more prevalent in recent years is Universal Genetic Testing (UGT). With UGT, a single saliva or blood sample can be analyzed for the presence of multiple recessive genes at a relatively low cost. Currently, the first such test available is called “Counsyl.” This test costs $350 and evaluates 100 recessive traits, including the Ashkenazi panel).
If a serious recessive trait is discovered, the intended father needs to be tested for that gene, or the donor should be excluded. Most doctors tend to encourage the latter choice.
Critics of UGT are uncomfortable with its “shotgun” approach. Detection rates for diseases not common in specific ethnic groups can be low, however, these women would not ordinarily be tested for these diseases so not much is really lost. In contrast, the cystic fibrosis screen in Counsyl contains more mutation than most of the traditional single gene tests currently available. Also several less-serious diseases (that do not have life-threatening affects) are included in Counsyl, and finding such a disease may unnecessarily create anxiety on the part of the recipient couple. Some doctors have started customizing the panel to exclude such conditions. One genetic disorder not included in the Counsyl panel is fragile-X. Women carrying this mutation can produce boys with severe mental retardation and autism. Fragile-X is the most common cause of mental retardation in boys and one of the few proven genetic causes of autism.
Both the traditional approach and UGT are appropriate options for screening egg donors. I personally recommend Counsyl and fragile-X testing on all new donors. If for some reason Counsyl is not desired, Caucasian non-Jewish donors are screened for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), fragile-X, and Tay-Sachs enzyme. I also recommend that a complete blood count be donor to screen for thalessemia. As always, your doctor and genetic counselor will be able to help in deciding which genetic tests are most appropriate for your donor.
- Michael Feinman, MD
Medical Director, HRC Fertility
Tags: Beverly Hills Egg Donation, BHED, Counsyl, Dr. Michael Feinman, egg donation, egg donor, egg donor agency, egg donor genetic screening, HRC, HRC Fertility, IVF, Jewish Panel egg donation, UGT, Universal Genetic Testing
Posted in Advice From Our Colleagues | No Comments »
March 10th, 2013
Beverly Hills Egg Donation is pleased to announce an exciting new tool to assist intended parents in their search for their ideal egg donor.
Beginning today, BHED is one of a select few organizations in the fertility industry with access to advanced facial recognition software that will enable intended parents to select a donor who bears the most physical resemblance to them.
Based on a photo that the intended parent provides to BHED, the 3D software from Precision Donor constructs a virtual topographical map of the intended parent’s features. That map is compared to all of the registered donors in the BHED database using a sophisticated three-part process of measurement, surface texture analysis, and vector templating. A list of the best matches for the intended parent’s physical features is produced. Neither the intended parent’s nor the donor’s photos are stored on the server involved with this process, the photos are purged as soon as the mathematical mapping is complete.
This highly accurate software is similar to that used by elite government agencies including the US State Department and the Department of Homeland Security.
The service is only available in conjunction with an in-person or Skype consultation. The cost of the consultation, and the use of BHED’s groundbreaking new service, is $500, which is deducted from the agency fee when a donor is selected and the agency agreement is signed.
To schedule a consultation, please call us at (310)601-3132.
Posted in Staff Corner | 1 Comment »
March 9th, 2013
Because of BHED, my husband and I are lucky to have our beautiful family. We have been members of the BHED family for 3 years and only have fabulous things to say. Robyn and the staff always have a hands on approach with the expected parents. They have been there with us through the ups and downs of donor selection and with our successes and failures. They always made me feel that they were on our side working to help us get our family. No matter how many times I’ve might have asked the same question, in many different ways, they have answered it for me with patience and care.
Even though we’re miles away, I’ve felt them holding my hand every time we were waiting for some good news and hugging me when we got it (and sometimes hugging me even tighter when we didn’t).
You couldn’t find a better agency to start your family with.
- F
Posted in Testimonials | No Comments »
March 7th, 2013
We are an Australian couple who have taken our IVF journey to the USA. We have pursued the egg donation path in the USA as we respect the quality of medical treatment, stringent screening of donors, and most importantly the ability to access information about your donor. We chose BHED as our donor agency based on recommendations from doctors both in Australia and in the USA. We have been very happy with the service provided by BHED. The BHED team have provided information and assistance to make this process incredibly easy – in fact, much easier than it has been within Australia. We chose our donor, signed contracts, and commenced treatment all within a couple of months. Our cycle coordinator kept us informed every step of the way and was always quick to answer any questions we had. Taking such a huge leap of faith to go down the Egg Donation path when you are on the other side of the world was at first overwhelming. The reality was that BHED made the process very easy.
- T, Australia
Tags: Beverly Hills Egg Donation, BHED, egg donation, egg donation Australia, egg donor, international egg donation, IVF, US egg donor
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March 7th, 2013
As a result of using the services of BHED, we have been blessed with the most beautiful baby. Making arrangements from Australia could have been fraught with difficulty, making the egg donor process an anxious one. The team at BHED were a pleasure to to deal with, they were constant and thorough in their communication, and always professional. Thanks to BHED, the egg donor process was an extremely positive one for us. We are extremely grateful for their services.
- S, Australia
Tags: Beverly Hills Egg Donation, BHED, egg donation, egg donation Australia, egg donor, international egg donation, IVF, US egg donor
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February 7th, 2013
The post below comes to us from Diana, a two-time previous donor with BHED.
 Now, let’s get on to the business of having blood drawn during your cycle. Sure, I recently discovered it’s a piece of cake to have a needle in my skin for a second during an injection, but what about a needle being nestled into my vein for more than a minute as my precious life force is drained from my body into a cold heartless vial? This would be tricky. For those of you who hate having blood drawn, you are not alone. I was the girl who broke into a cold sweat, literally soaking my shirt the minute I sat in the strange school-desk chair, oddly appropriate as I would often be having an internal fit reminiscent of a 2nd grader, and was handed that ball to squeeze. I hadn’t had blood taken in so long (and hardly remember the last go around after having fainted). They call my name. I walk over to what is referred to as the (ahem, cough, swallow) “Blood Station” with my iPod earphones in.
My deer in the headlights look is greeted by the kindest pair of eyes I’ve ever seen. These eyes belong to Raul, the Phlebotomist. He seems to notice my unease, perhaps my clenched fists and general lack of breathing or blinking, and says “I take it you’re not a fan of having your blood drawn?” To which I say “Not a fan at all, maybe even a heckler” as a strange trail of nervous giggles leaks out of my clenched jaw. I try to make jokes when I’m nervous, also to downplay how incredibly frightened I am, they’re also usually really horrible jokes as demonstrated. But for some reason, Raul’s warm presence had me feel it was okay to just come clean, “I’m actually terrified of having my blood drawn. In fact, it’s the only thing I’m afraid of. Some people fear car accidents, life failure, earthquakes. I fear sitting in that chair. I usually pass out or vomit either before, during or after having my blood drawn. In fact, I’ve avoided doing it for several years because I’m always so embarrassed by my fainting or throwing up.” Wow, thanks for the biopic, Barbara Walters. Raul is not at all put off by this, in fact, he appears to find this honesty refreshingly charming (this is what I tell myself after feeling like I just shared some sort of Judy Blume confessional diary entry). He’s not looking at me like the high-maintenance mess that’s about to make his job a huge pain. He puts his hand on my shoulder and says, “I’m really good, you won’t feel a thing. Let’s have you lie down.” I lay down and already feel 100 times better than I usually did in the chair. I say, “Raul, I’m going to turn my music up really loud while you do this.” He smiles and says, “No problem, do what you have to do.” I turn on my music and the next thing I know Raul is telling me it’s over. I couldn’t believe it. I sat up and almost cried. ”You’re the best Raul! The best! You’re the fastest blood-taker in the west! You’re a blood-taking ninja!” Raul was laughing, I was laughing. It was a regular feel good Who’s the Boss episode where Raul lovingly pats me on the head and calls me “Saman-ta”.
 So what made this go-around so different than previous blood draws? Quite simply, being open and honest with the Phlebotomist about my fear. For so long I had tried to”hide” it, as I was painfully embarrassed that a woman my age couldn’t handle what, in the grand scheme of things, is such a simple thing to do. Come to think of it, after voicing my fear, I immediately had a sense of relief. That seems to be true for most things in life, I suppose. We often make ourselves so uncomfortable trying to cover up what we’re afraid of, or ignoring it all together, that it grows into a larger, scarier beast (perhaps simply to get our attention). If I were to distill my fear, it really came down to the embarrassment of fainting or throwing up. By sharing my fear with Raul, he was empowered to help me and make some adjustments so that didn’t happen. So, if you have any fear or anxiety about having your blood drawn, be sure to share that information with the nurse or Phlebotomist, they’re actually extremely accommodating. After, you might notice that the only drawn out thing about a blood draw is you driving yourself crazy thinking about it. Similar to the rules that apply to those who have a difficult mother-in-law – acknowledge the fear, but you don’t have to invite it out to lunch and entertain it.
-Diana, former BHED donor
Tags: Beverly Hills Egg Donation, BHED, egg donation agency, egg donation california, egg donor, egg donor california, egg donor cycle, egg donors, infertility, IVF, ivf cycle
Posted in From Donor's Perspective | No Comments »
January 7th, 2013
My husband and I live in Australia, and we’re the proud parents of a beautiful little boy, thanks to the BHED team and our wonderful donor. From beginning to end, BHED walked us through the whole experience. Going into the process, we had so many questions: about how matching cycles would work, about the communication with the doctor, about the contracts and legal issues. They helped us make a final donor selection and coordinated everything (doctor’s visits, paperwork).
Dealing with infertility was difficult enough — knowing that someone else was looking after all the details of the egg donor process made us feel confident and comfortable. Our worries about the distance turned out to be for nothing, as we were in constant communication with the team via e-mail and phone. Putting our trust in dedicated, experienced professionals was the perfect decision — it was our first time, but they had done this successfully so many times before! Retrieval and transfer went smoothly, and our son was born nine months later. We are incredibly grateful for BHED’s compassion and expertise, and of course for the extraordinary donor who made our dreams come true.
- M., BHED Recipient
Tags: Beverly Hills Egg Donation, BHED, egg donation, egg donation Australia, egg donor, international egg donation, IVF, US egg donor
Posted in Testimonials | No Comments »
December 25th, 2012
 From our companion site, Ask Kate:
Q: I have been selected as an egg donor by two different recipients. I would like to do the cycles back-to-back. Is this something I can do? Do my periods remain on the same schedule throughout one cycle? How long does it take my ovaries to return back to normal so I can cycle again?
A: You can absolutely do this. I did it a couple of times for a couple who wanted to put my eggs on ice. Whatever the reason, you can pump these little eggies out back-to-back as you feel comfortable. You will want – and you’ll need – down time in between cycles. Usually, the doctors want you to have two regular periods before proceeding with another donation. This is standard protocol but, to be honest, one period was all I needed before hopping back into the game. During donations, you’ll start to figure out your body in a way you never thought you wanted or would have to. You feel things, physically, completely differently; you will take care of yourself differently; you will handle your hormones completely differently; and you will realize the need to heal 100% before jumping back into anything – and you will know when you’re ready. If the honor of your eggs is in such high demand, then you will be a veteran before you know it, but don’t let the experience pass you by – that won’t serve you in the end. Understand what’s going on, pay attention to the scheduling and pay attention to how you are responding to not only the hormones, but your recovery as well. Good luck, and congrats on your cycles!
- Kate Lee, 6-time BHED donor
www.askaneggdonor.com
Tags: BHED, egg donation, egg donor
Posted in From Donor's Perspective | 1 Comment »
December 3rd, 2012
This is the story of how I decided to become an egg donor.
I am young with an old soul, a hopeless romantic with a logical side. When facing infertility with my husband I felt like my world shattered in a million pieces. I thought the issue was with me. I had to face all the tests and felt once was private was no more. Then when all my tests came back more than perfect doctors turned to my husband. Then many more tests and procedures followed. To make a long journey short doctors told my husband he could not have biological children. No one can say those words with enough sympathy. So after letting the news sink in I came to a place where I will be happy no matter what.
I started thinking how can I help others that face this kind of fate. I thought of egg donation and started doing a lot of research and after talking to my husband we decided that it would be really awesome. I feel like helping a couple in need would make my situation worth it. So after a lot of thought and prayer my husband decided to start to foster infants in hope to adopt in the future. Ever since I was a small child I always wanted to give back to this world. I don’t see egg donation or adopting as saving the world. However just knowing I made an impact on a deserving couple and child’s life is more than perfect for me.
- Christina #14067
Posted in From Donor's Perspective | No Comments »
November 25th, 2012
 1.) At some point, you will freak out. There will be a moment of second guessing. Be it whether you injected yourself (which will happen 5 minutes after you do, but you’ll just… forget — I promise it’ll happen) or whether you messed up on the amount of your meds, or whether you’re just second guessing any info you’ve been given. It happens. It’s a wave of panic that rushes over you that you’ve effectively messed up the whole cycle and then you reason with yourself, and it’s over. Be vigilant about your process, but don’t be anxious.
2.) Don’t underestimate the power of a calendar and some Crayola markers. Your doctor will give you a calendar on a piece of paper and it’ll have all your important dates on it… times of appointments, amounts of medications, changes in medications, upcoming procedures, etc. Color code it. Tape it up in the kitchen or bathroom. All appointments get circled in red, all med changes get circled in green, and as you go through the days, cross them out in blue. I know we’re in a technological world now, and paper calendars and markers have gone the way of your 5th grade art class, but in this case, it’s very important that you physically live within your calendar until your timeline is complete.
3.) Secure a ride to your retrieval immediately. Before you even start your cycle, make sure you have someone locked in to drive you to and from your retrieval and then make that person promise you her first born or left arm. I have a lot of friends, most of them best friends, but most of them are also complete flakes, and they’d say yes, then not be able to follow through and I’d be stuck 48-hours before my retrieval with no exit strategy. Well, I had one, but it was foiled. There is no feeling of anxiety like not having your retrieval day planned and then Plan B’d. This isn’t something you can ask of just anyone, and it’s so very important that whomever you ask understands the weight of the responsibility. Period.
4.) Plan on putting your life on relative hold for about 3 weeks. It’s like when you try and diet, but continue to go out to eat and be social as if you weren’t on a diet — you don’t actually ever lose weight, and you wonder why. It requires self-discipline and understanding that you have a new priority, and it’s no longer your social life. Your injections need to happen at the same time every night. Your appointments are going to be every three days at 7:30 a.m., sometimes daily. It’s difficult to keep pace if you’re out on the town, here or there and everywhere. A lot of people are involved in the planning and execution of your cycle; don’t be the reason it needs to be re-planned and re-executed.
 5.) It’s not as hard has it looks. You’re gonna get a big box delivered to your home or office. It’ll have dry ice in it, and under that will be a pharmacy — meds, syringes, vials, a biohazard receptacle like in a doctor’s office, and gauze and band-aids — literally, like a pharmacy. Take it all out. Put all the meds in the fridge, put all the “tools” in a handy spot and set up shop. Every night, you’ll mix-master yourself whatever the calendar tells you, and you’ll inject. At some point, you’ll have two injections. It’s possible you’ll even get up to three different meds, thus three different injections. Don’t be overwhelmed, but be aware. It’s pretty hard to do it wrong. Honestly. There is no math involved, there is no science involved, just being able to follow directions. Trust yourself. Have a routine, and stick to it for the sake of consistency and by default, your sanity.
6.) Ask questions. If the doctors ask you if you have any questions, and you do, but think it’s silly, ask anyway. If the nurse ask you if you have any questions about how to inject, and you think you got the instructions, but you’re a little unclear and think you can figure it out on your own at home, rethink that, and ask her to show you again. Once you’re home, holding a syringe with $10K on the line, you’re gonna wish you had asked that question. If it’s midnight and you’re going over your schedule for the next day and you realize something is missing/wrong/confusing/worrisome, call the 24-hour number for your doctor’s office. Sometimes, the doctor’s offices are not.. on it. If you feel like you don’t have all the info you need, or calls or emails aren’t being returned with enough urgency, YOU call. Be a pest. It’s your body as much as it is the recipient’s. Take ownership of the cycle — it’s yours. All people involved are very invested in making sure everything goes as smoothly and successfully as it can, but sometimes, people need a little nudging.
7.) Talk to your HR department at work. As women, we have all kinds of trump cards we can pull that men will never have the opportunity to play. “Lady Issues” is one of them. And it covers a myriad of situations with no questions asked. This is one of them. Your HR boss is probably a woman, and you do not have to actually say what is going on, or what you’re going through, but I can assure you that you’ll with you had an ally at work when it’s the 5th time in a week you’ve been late because of a doctor’s appointment that went waaaaaaaay longer than it should have, or the retrieval happens, and you need a week off with no remaining vacation time. This will most definitely affect your 9-5 job. It simply will. But it doesn’t need to be in a negative way. You need to be honest with yourself about the intensity of the procedure. It’s a commitment. Be prepared to make it fully.
 8.) REST after your retrieval. My first cycle, I took 3 days off after my Saturday retrieval. So I was resting from Saturday to Wednesday. Wednesday rolled around, and there was no way on earth I could have gone back to work and been 100%. You know when your co-workers have a cold and they’re coughing and sniffing and gross and they say “I feel fine.” It’s great that you feel fine, but you’re not fine, and you’re germy and infecting us at work, and you’re far more useful when you’re well, so go home and get well. Same thing with your retrieval. For some people, it’s not an in and out procedure. Well, I suppose technically, it is. But it does take a toll. For me, it was like really bad cramps and PMS for a week — bur far more intense, remember it’s an under-general-anesthesia surgery. And if you show up for work, people will assume you’re okay to be there and you may not feel up to being there. This isn’t the case for everybody – many donors do bounce right back and return to work or school within a day or two – but every recovery is different. My pain tolerance borders on sociopathically high, but I was out for the count for a week solid (and that includes having a Darvocet prescription, which you will be unfortunately denied, as it’s been recalled… shame, really… ). Your body goes through the ringer, it really does. You need to be prepared to rest — you may feel fine, but one day of think you’re fine when you’re not could set your recovery back quite a bit. Listen to your body and make sure you do what’s right for you.
9.) Numb your injection area with a cold can of something. Every donor gets a mentor from the agency. Mine was Ellie. I called her my PO. She was, literally, my case worker. And she gave me the most important advice I have ever received, and no I pass it on to you: Before you inject, for 2 minutes — the entirety of a commercial break — hold a cold can/jar of something to your injection spot to numb it. A can of Coke works, a bottle of hot sauce works, a jar of olives works, whatever you have in the fridge. It’ll be COLD. But when you have to talk yourself into sticking a needle into your stomach, you’ll thank me. Well, thank Ellie, actually. The ONLY part of egg donation that freaked me out was the injection in the stomach. Um, gross. But this little nugget of advice saved me. You can inject without numbing, but that is so unnecessarily sadistic. Please just trust me on this. And don’t hesitate, just stick.
10.) The most important thing I can tell you is to embrace this adventure. It truly is an adventure. Unlike anything else you’ll go through. From the start of the screening process where you’ll speak with a personal medical historian of sorts… you will find out so much about your family, your health history, your future health cautions. And then you’ll get a complete blood work up, so if there is anything under the surface, you’ll find out that, too. All of no cost to you. And then as you start medications, you’ll feel your body change in a way you never would have otherwise experienced. You’ll learn, in no time, to listen to your body unlike you’ve ever thought to listen before. You’ll literally feel your ovaries grow and move inside you (they go from the size of a walnut to almost the size of a grapefruit), and you’ll feel your fallopian tubes pull from the weight of that dangling grapefruit when you try to lie on your side 15 days in… it’s all such a strange, unique process and not embracing the full experience is such a waste. Whether you donate one or 6 times, it’s never boring and it’s never the same twice.
- Kate Lee, www.askaneggdonor.com
Tags: Beverly Hills Egg Donation, BHED, egg donation, egg donor
Posted in From Donor's Perspective | No Comments »
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Understandably, couples faced with the decision of choosing an egg donor typically have concerns about the donor’s genetic makeup. Fortunately, there are options available to help a couple identify any genetic disorders their donor might have and reduce the risk of passing these traits on to the child/children born from the donation.
