Donating eggs helps couples who cannot conceive on their own fulfill their dream of having a child, but the decision is an extremely personal one. While it can be incredibly rewarding, there are many parts to consider. If you’ve been thinking about donating your eggs, you may be wondering: am I even eligible?
It’s true that in order to donate your eggs, you need to meet certain criteria. Egg donor qualifications are set not only by donation agencies themselves, but also by the FDA (to lower risk of infectious disease transmission) as well as the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), to ensure that donors and recipients alike are protected. In addition, there are also emotional considerations.
Deciding if egg donation is right for you
The decision to donate your eggs is about more than just being comfortable with the medical procedure - it’s also a deeply personal, emotional decision. So when considering whether or not egg donation is right for you, it’s important to ask yourself - what are you hoping to get out of this experience?
Typical egg donor programs offer cash compensation in exchange for the time and physical effort that goes into the donation process. While this may be attractive to some people, many women feel less excited about the idea of getting paid for their genetic material. If that’s the case, an alternative option is participating in a “split cycle” with a company like Cofertility. Through their Split program, they give women the opportunity to combine egg freezing with egg donation, by allowing them to freeze their eggs entirely for free if they give half of the retrieved eggs to a family that cannot otherwise conceive.
Regardless of which path you choose, the most important thing is to make sure donating your eggs is a decision that you can feel good about.
Health requirements
So, you’ve decided to donate your eggs. The next step is to ensure you are physically and mentally healthy enough to undergo an egg retrieval. You’ll receive numerous screenings that are designed to ensure your body is in tip-top shape and help mitigate risk, including:
Age - Most egg donation agencies accept donors ages 21-34, per ASRM guidelines. This is because, generally speaking, the older you are, the more challenging it may be for you to produce enough eggs during your donation cycle, and the quality of your eggs also declines with age. However, age requirements can vary depending on the clinic or agency you’re working with. For example, in order to participate in Cofertility’s Split program, you must be between the ages of 22-33.
Hormone Levels - Most programs will have your ovarian reserve checked to ensure you have enough eggs available. This is typically done with a simple blood test to measure your AMH (anti-mullerian hormone), which is also one indicator of how well your body may respond to the ovary-stimulating medications you’ll need to take during your cycle.
Genetic Screening - This is to ensure you are not a carrier of any genetic conditions that could potentially be passed to the donor-conceived child, such as cystic fibrosis, thalassemia, or spinal muscular atrophy. The intended father or sperm donor also undergoes the same genetic screening to ensure that there are no genetic red flags between both of your DNA, which, if there were, could result in a child being born with a chronic medical condition.
Medical and Family History Review - Similar to genetic screening, you’ll also undergo health screening to make sure you are healthy and capable of donating. In addition to reviewing your personal and family medical history, egg donors undergo a physical exam and screening for infectious diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B and C, among others, to make sure the donation process is safe for both you and the intended parents.
Psychological Screening - Psychological screening during egg donation is designed to ensure that you are A: donating with the right intentions (not just for cash compensation), and B: aware of the physical and emotional implications that come with egg donation.
Summary
Phew - we know that was a lot! But, by donating your eggs, you’re doing something truly incredible for another family. To learn more about the egg donation process, and even how to donate your eggs while freezing some for yourself for free, check out Cofertility.
Meera Shah, MD, FACOG, is a double board certified OBGYN and reproductive endocrinology and fertility specialist at NOVA IVF in Mountain View, California. She received her Bachelor's degree at UC-Berkeley and completed a post-baccalaureate research fellowship at the National Institute of Health Academy program. She attended Stanford Medical School and completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco. She rounded out her training with a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Stanford University. She is an active member of the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society, American Society of Reproductive Medicine, and Bay Area Reproductive Society.
Considering egg freezing?
Check out Freeze’s free Compare Clinics tool - it includes pricing, locations, and more for US and international egg freezing clinics.
Ever wonder where your eggs will be after you freeze your eggs and before you may decide to use them for IVF? Learn where your eggs will be stored and how to make cost-saving decisions on storage while providing you flexibility in the future if you choose to do IVF.
Answered by Valerie Shafran, MSN, FNP-C from Extend Fertility. Discover why fertility experts urge women to stop taking Ozempic (and other GLP-1 agonists) before an egg freezing cycle.
Answered by Stephanie Sabourin from Legacy. Learn about fertility preservation for men, including the process and how men can improve sperm quality.
Answered by Dr. Hade from Generation Next Fertility. Understand how egg freezing does not cause long-term weight gain yet there is a chance of transient bloating.
Answered by Dr. Hade from Generation Next Fertility. Learn from start to finish the entire process of what happens on the final day of an egg freezing cycle.
Answered by Dr. Hades from Generation Next Fertility. Discover ways to help reduce water weight and bloating after egg retrieval day when freezing your eggs.
Answered by Dr. Alison Peck from HRC Fertility. Discover which medications are commonly used for ovarian stimulation during an egg freezing cycle.
Answered by Dr. Alison Peck from HRC Fertility. Learn which hormones are important for egg freezing and what each hormone indicates.
If you find yourself faced with the complex decision of possibly egg freezing for medical reasons, you're in the right spot. This guide is here to help simplify the process.
Answered by Dr. Nidhee Sachdev from OC Fertility. AMH provides useful information that gives insight into a woman’s ovarian reserve or how many eggs she has left.
Answered by Dr. Meera Shah from Nova IVF. Understand the benefits and potential risks involved with donating your eggs.
Answered by Dr. Woo from HRC Fertility. Learn how some medications need to be stopped for an egg freezing cycle while some medications can be continued.
Answered by Dr. Baruch Abittan from Extend Fertility. Understand the most recent research on COVID-19’s effect on egg freezing.
Answered by Lia Schiller, MSN, AGNP-BC from Extend Fertility. Learn why IUDs can stay in place throughout the egg freezing process.
Answered by Dr. Meera Shah from Nova IVF. Understand the requirements and screening necessary for egg donation.
How to save money in the egg freezing process. From selecting a clinic to saving thousands on storing your eggs, here’s how to put money back in your pocket.
Answered by Dr. Alison Peck from HRC Fertility. Learn about the rare, yet possible risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) during an egg freezing cycle.
Answered by Dr. Nidhee Sachdev from OC Fertility. The short answer is - indefinitely. However, there are some other factors to consider.
More women are seeking egg freezing options in other countries. From Mexico to the Czech Republic, discover costs, laws, and other pertinent information if you’re considering freezing your eggs abroad.
Answered by Dr. Meera Shah from Nova IVF. Understand the potential risks of egg freezing to help you evaluate if it is right for you.
Answered by Dr. Jessica Scotchie from Tennessee Reproductive Medicine. Learn how you can take proactive steps to help prepare your body.
Answered by Dr. Kathryn Snow from Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group (PREG). Understand the side effects that you may experience when freezing your eggs.
Answered by Dr. Meera Shah from Nova IVF. Learn about the benefits and potential side effects of donating your eggs.
Answered by Valerie Shafran, MSN, FNP-C from Extend Fertility. If a fibroid affects the egg freezing process depends entirely on its size and location.
Answered by Dr. Hade from Generation Next Fertility. Discover which foods and supplements are best to consume before, during and after the egg freezing process.
Answered by Dr. Meera Shah from Nova IVF. Discover each step of the egg donation process.
Answered by Dr. Joshua Klein from Extend Fertility. Learn how birth control relates to egg freezing and if you will need to stop your hormonal birth control before starting the procedure.
Answered by Dr. Alison Peck from HRC Fertility. The sooner a woman decides to freeze her eggs and does it, the better. Learn more about benefits of freezing your eggs younger.
Answered by Dr. Rashmi Kudesia from CCRM Fertility Houston. Here’s a checklist for before, during, and after your egg freezing consultation, including 11 questions you should ask the doctor.
Answered by Dr. Joshua Klein from Extend Fertility. Aside from one day off of work at the end of your egg freezing cycle, your work shouldn’t be too impacted by the process of freezing your eggs.