JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee

Trying to Conceive

(applies to female donors only)

Obligatory

Take care to exclude pregnancy.

Must not donate if:
a) Under investigation for infertility.

b) Less than 12 weeks after completion of treatment with clomiphene (Clomid®).

c) Less than 12 weeks after completion of treatment with tamoxifen.

d) Has ever been given human gonadotrophin of pituitary origin.

e) If donor knows that they have ever been treated with Metrodin HP®.

Discretionary

If not known to have been treated with Metrodin HP® but treated exclusively with other non-pituitary derived gonadotrophins and/or donated sperm, accept.

See if Relevant

Prion Associated Diseases

Additional Information

The 12 week period is an additional safeguard to avoid taking a donation early in a pregnancy.


The use of human gonadotrophin of pituitary origin (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)) had stopped in the UK by 1986. The situation in other countries varied so specific dates cannot be given.
Metrodin HP® was withdrawn by the Committee on Safety of Medicines in 2003 and following advice from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency the precautionary principle has been applied to withdraw donors who have been treated with this product. Donors treated for infertility after 2003 in the UK will not have been treated with this product.


Donors trying to conceive naturally can donate provided that they have not missed a period. Taking folic acid or other vitamin and mineral preparations is not a problem.

Reason for change

The deferral for recipients of donated eggs or embryos has been removed in line with the most recent update of the SaBTO Microbiological Safety Guidelines.

Donor Information

If you wish to obtain more information regarding a personal medical issue please contact your National Help Line.

Please do not contact this web site for personal medical queries, as we are not in a position to provide individual answers.

Update Information

This entry was last updated in:
DSG-WB Edition 203, Release 61.