Donate Eggs After A Tubal Ligation
Can I donate eggs if my tubes are tied?
We are often asked if someone can donate eggs after a tubal ligation – or, more commonly, “Can I donate my eggs if my tubes are tied?” This is a very understandable question, and the answer may surprise you! To answer this question, we need to look at how a tubal ligation and the donation process work.
What Is A Tubal Ligation?
A tubal ligation is a surgical procedure where the fallopian tubes are either blocked or cut. It is often called “getting your tubes tied.”
The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus. During a menstrual cycle, the ovaries release a mature egg, which travels down the fallopian tube to the uterus. Pregnancy occurs when an egg is fertilized by sperm traveling up the fallopian tube. The fertilized egg then implants in the uterus and grows into a baby.
A tubal ligation prevents pregnancy by blocking or cutting the fallopian tubes so that sperm cannot reach the egg. However, the ovaries still release an egg each month; it is simply reabsorbed by the body. This is why you can donate eggs after a tubal ligation.
Can I Donate Eggs After A Tubal Ligation?
Yes! During the egg donation process, donors take medication to stimulate their ovaries so several eggs mature, instead of just one. When the eggs are mature, they are retrieved from the ovaries with a simple procedure. The eggs are retrieved before they are released into the fallopian tubes. This means that as long as you have healthy, functioning ovaries and meet the rest of the egg donor requirements, you can donate your eggs even if your tubes are tied. A tubal ligation should not affect the egg donation process in any way.
Can I Be A Surrogate After A Tubal Ligation?
Also yes! This may seem even more surprising, but the surrogate process is also unaffected by a tubal ligation. Gestational surrogacy uses in vitro fertilization (IVF) to transfer an embryo into the surrogate’s uterus, where it implants and grows into a baby. Just like with egg donation, the fallopian tubes are not involved.
Can I Donate Eggs While Using Other Birth Control?
Just as we often get asked if someone can donate eggs after a tubal ligation, we also get lots of questions about donating eggs while using other forms of birth control. In general, using birth control does not prevent you from being an egg donor, but you will most likely have to stop or remove the contraception in order to donate.
If you use hormonal birth control such as pills, a patch, or a NuvaRing, you simply stop using the method during the egg donation process. If you receive hormonal shots for birth-control, have the arm implant, or use a hormonal IUD, you will need to stop the shots or remove the device and have at least one normal menstrual cycle before you can donate.
It is very important to remember that the medication used during the egg donation process make you extremely fertile, so you must abstain from sexual intercourse until your first period after the egg retrieval. This applies even if you donate eggs after a tubal ligation, to prevent the risk of an ectopic pregnancy.
How Do I Donate Eggs After A Tubal Ligation?
It can take one to four weeks to recover from a tubal ligation. If you recently had a tubal ligation and are interested in donating eggs, talk to your doctor about appropriate timelines to begin the egg donation process. In the meantime, reach out to us to find out if you meet the other donor requirements. We are happy to help – contact us today.
