Information regarding the Zika virus and how this may affect egg donation
Effective immediately, the FDA requires all fertility centers and egg banks to assess the risk of exposure to the Zika Vius. There is limited testing available, so assessing for risk, or assessing for actual signs of the virus are the best tools to use at this time.
The following Countries, who are reported active with the virus, will disqualify a donor from moving forward if visited within past 6 months, or if she is with a partner who has visited these Countries in the past 6 months.
Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Guadelouple, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (A US territory), Saint Martin, Saint Vincetn and the Grenadines.
The Caribbean (Angtigua, Barbuda, Belize, Columbia, Cuba and the Doninica. Cape Verde.
Trinidad and Tobago, US Virgin Islands, Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama.
Mexico, Pacifica Islands (American Samoa Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tonga). South America (Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname and Venezuela.
**Bermuda and the Bahamas (located in and around the Atlantic Ocean are not on the restricted list).
Symptoms of the active Zika Virus include, but are not limited to, low grade fever, muscle weakness, headache, retro-ocular headaches, conjunctivitis (infection and drainage of eyes), and skin rash.
Potential egg donor candidates are asked these screening questions on our internal application and will also be asked again at the fertility center.
Currently, there is no know transmission of the virus from egg tissue, but persons who are pregnant and contract this virus have a risk of the baby having microcephaly (small brain) and other neurological disorders. There are reported cases of semen (sperm) carrying the Zika Virus, thus possibly transmitting to a partner.
If you have traveled out of the country in the past six months, and unsure if you may disqualify to move forward, please email or call us to find out more information.
