Egg donation - Medication and side effects for egg recipients

The Private Healthcare UK guide to infertility treatment contains articles on infertility and IVF treatment which are aimed at improving your knowledge of treatments for infertility, their benefits and potential risks. 

In this section

Cycle Manipulation:  Recipients with menstrual cycles may need to take a low dose contraceptive pill for a minimum of two weeks to ensure that their period arrives at the correct time to overlap with the donor.

Down Regulation:   Recipients with regular menstrual cycles may occasionally be asked to take a drug to temporarily “shut down” their body’s own natural cycle.  This is taken in the form of a daily subcutaneous injection.

Endometrial Stimulation:  In order to prepare the womb lining for implantation, tablets are used which contain oestrogen.  These are taken until the day of a pregnancy test and for a further ten weeks if positive. After embryo transfer,   progesterone is also taken twice daily in the form of a pessary. Alternative forms of oestrogen such as patches are occasionally used.

Side effects:  Not all women will experience any or all of these side effects and they vary greatly in their degree of severity.  They can include:

• Hot flushes
• Mood swings
• Restless sleep
• Pre-menstrual changes and discomfort
• Fluid retention
• Headaches

Careful monitoring of treatment using vaginal ultrasound is carried out and hormone assays are of value in selected situations.  Any patient who is worried about side effects that she may experience should telephone the clinic.

In this guide

Get a quote for infertility treatment

By filling in one enquiry form, you can submit your enquiry for information about or costs of infertility treatment to our participating companies.

Complete the enquiry form...

Find an infertility clinic

Search our database to find an infertility and IVF clinic in your area offering infertility and IVF treatment in the UK. We also provide information on the major infertility and IVF treatment companies. Search for a clinic...