Egg Donation: Everything You Should Know

Egg donation is a selfless act of helping a couple or individual have a family of their own. If you are thinking about donating your eggs, then you may have one or two questions about the requirements and its process. Here’s everything your should know about Egg Donation.

Our fertility expert will provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about egg donation. What you should expect and the things to watch out for to make sure you are safe throughout the process.

Highly regulated Egg Donation 

To the FDA, egg donation is just like the donation of any other organs of the human body. There are several regulations and rules in place for prospective donors and egg donation agencies.

Know the 3 ways to donate your eggs through an agency or through a fertility clinic that runs a donor service or a direct egg donation

Agencies are always looking for donors to recruit and can pay very handsomely based on the specifics of a donor. Donors don’t all receive the same compensation. Most agencies base the amount on the cost of living in the area and probably cover costs, like transportation, lost wages, among other expenses.

For instance, in California, egg donor compensation ranges from $6,000 to $12,000. You can even earn as much as $25,000 for donating your eggs if you go through a reputable agency. Besides recruitment, you can also look for a clinic that offers donor services yourself. Another possible option is direct egg donation, where an egg donor donates her eggs to someone she knows, e.g., a friend or family member. This takes away the need for the matchmaking process carried out by agencies. Some intended families have specific requirements they want the donor to meet, like having an Ivy League school education. In cases like these, such families may advertise in a local newspaper. 

Receiving a big payout for a specifically directed egg donation is not always 
recommended

You should know that there are compensation guidelines to ensure that there is no financial forcing in the egg donation process. Our fertility center is not in support of such practice. We aim to identify compassionate women who are not doing it for monetary reasons only. We always look for donors who see the egg donation process as a way of helping another person while helping themselves, too. Many times, advertisements for donors put too much emphasis on the financial part. A woman might later regret her decision if she sees egg donation only as a means of getting money, as this could affect her for life.

Recommendation is not to donate more than six times

There are two reasons for this. First, it is to ensure that the donor is safe, sound and healthy. Secondly, to make sure that there are not too many half-siblings roaming the streets unknowingly. Since there is not a national registry or disclosure policy, parents don’t need to tell their children they were conceived with donor eggs. This is also the reason for the lack of proper monitoring of the six-time limit. After donating six times at a clinic, a donor can still try to become an egg donor at another clinic. The same applies to sperm donation. Sperm banks also limit the number of times a donor can donate. ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) set These guidelines specifically.

Physical and Psychological screenings Before Egg Donation

As per FDA regulations, a prospective donor may not be eligible if she has a tattoo on any part of her body within the past twelve months where strict sterile procedures were not followed. We may also review your travel history to be sure that you have not visited a country affected by Zika in the last six months. During the physical examination, you may have to a series of blood tests and an ultrasound to determine the number of eggs you have.  All this information is important to anyone willing to become an egg donor. Qualified at the moment or not, a prospective donor would at least gain valuable information about her fertility.

The screening process can be very thorough, and only a small percentage of people qualify for egg donation

The percentage of people eligible for egg donation differs from one clinic to the next. This is because of the intensive screening process. Only a small number of candidates end up becoming egg donors at many agencies. Different factors can lead to disqualifications, e.g., Body Mass Index (BMI).

STI history can also affect eligibility

The screenings mostly target HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis. Human Papillomavirus is a very common sexually transmitted infection and checking takes place on a case-by-case basis. In line with FDA regulations, you are ineligible for egg donation if you had treatment for chlamydia or gonorrhea within the past twelve months. Plus, if you get positive diagnosis with syphilis, Hepatitis B or C, you cannot donate your eggs because those diseases can be transferred to the baby. 

Whom to Consider a Good Fit As a Prospective Egg Donor?

Based on our selection requirements, the ideal candidates for egg donation are women between the age of 19 to 29, who have a college degree, and do not smoke. Note that your BMI must fall below 28 to be eligible to participate in our egg donor program.

You will likely be matched before completing most of the process

You may get a match with an Intended Parent before the onset of the screening process. Some of the donated eggs are frozen to be used later. However in many cases, both the donor and the recipient of the eggs will be undergoing treatment concurrently. This way, the donated eggs are going to be “fresh” at the time of fertilization. 

Find a reputable clinic for egg donation

It is good to do your research before choosing a clinic. Contact clinics you think would be good for you to inform them of your intention to become a donor. Ask questions about their requirements and procedures and the risks that come with egg donation. Ensure that they comply with the guidelines set by ASRM. 

Make sure that your anonymity is well protected

Although the process requires you to reveal certain personal details and medical history, the clinic has to protect your anonymity and privacy from Intended Parents.  Otherwise, it is a big warning sign. There should be no force to reveal your identity to egg recipients. Although you are getting paid, you should need to speak up when necessary.

The actual process may take several weeks

The egg donation process usually begins with an online application. Once the donor has been accepted, a profile creation takes place highlighting their best qualities. The profile is then made available to intended parents selection. After matching with a recipient, you will then proceed to the screening process, which includes background checks, a psychological evaluation, and medical examination. A contract is than signed, and a coordinator is assigned to you. It is the coordinator that will discuss fertility medications, birth control, and your schedule while the cycle is going on. 

The next thing to do is to visit our clinic for egg retrieval. All expenses relating to the egg donation process will be paid off. Then, one of our fertility experts will carry out the egg retrieval using a less invasive procedure. Although the procedure itself does not take more than half an hour, you will need to be at the clinic for a few hours. Once you get permission of go-ahead to go home, we will schedule a post-retrieval check-up at a monitoring center nearby you. 

Abstain from sexual intercourse until your next menstrual period after undergoing the egg donation process

Chances are that the doctor will not retrieve all the eggs during the process. And you will be very fertile at this time due to the self-injected fertility hormones. While we do our best to ensure to retrieve all eggs, cannot guarantee that there are no eggs left behind. So, we advise the donors to avoid sexual intercourse until their next menstrual period to prevent an unexpected pregnancy. 

Know that women from all walks of life donate eggs

All types of women make egg donations. We have seen the artist who wants to supplement their income, the kind-hearted person who only wants to assist another family, a college student who may wish to travel upon graduation or is looking to clear his student loans. 

It is not all about compensation 

One of the most common misconceptions about egg donation to know is that it is all about compensation. Women don’t always give out their eggs for money, but to help others start a family. A donor might know someone battling with infertility. Donating eggs is not an easy task. Donors go through to complete the process. If you break down the money they get as payment into hourly compensation, you will realize they are not doing it solely for the money. A lot of our best donors have a story behind their decision or know someone that does. We are not saying that money doesn’t help. Of course, it does, but it is not the motivating factor.

If you are interested in becoming an egg donor, simply apply with our partner Lucina Egg Bank here.