What is Egg Donation?
Egg donation is the process by which a woman, who is usually younger, provides eggs (ova, oocytes) to another person and/or partner for purposes of assisted reproduction so that the recipient of the eggs can have a baby with partner or donor sperm.
What Happens during an Egg Donation Process?
First, the doctor retrieves eggs from a woman with healthy ovaries. Then, the eggs are fertilized using the male partner’s sperm inside a specialized laboratory, called an in vitro fertilization (IVF) lab. The resulting embryos are transferred to the woman’s uterus. If the fertilized egg successfully implants into the uterus, the woman becomes pregnant. She carries the developing baby throughout the entire pregnancy and childbirth.
How to Become an Egg Donor
You can select the practice at which you would like to donate your eggs through our website. ARC will then contact the practice regarding your interest in becoming an egg donor.
What happens during the Egg Donor Process?
Potential donors are first interviewed with a donor egg nurse coordinator. You may qualify to become an egg donor after meeting a series of criteria, which generally include:
- women between the ages of 21 to 32 (age range varies from practice to practice)
- height and weight within normal range
- no smoking or drug use
- previous delivery preferred but not essential
- filling out a detailed medical history form which covers your general health, such as surgeries, gynecological and family history
- comprehensive gynecological exam
- screening tests related to mental health, medical and genetic history, and sexually transmitted infections
Donors must prepare to miss several days of work for medical exams, consultations and the egg retrieval procedure.
Why become an Egg Donor?
The main benefit is the knowledge that you have helped another woman have a baby. Egg donors are also compensated for their time and effort.
What are the different types of Egg Donors?
Anonymous Donors
Many women choose to be anonymous. She donates eggs to an infertile woman or couple who also remain anonymous. These donors are matched as closely as possible to the criteria specified by the receiving couple or woman.
Known Donors
In some cases, the egg donor is a sister, friend, or relative of the recipient. Some women and couples recruit donors on their own.
Regardless of the type of egg donor, all must go through the screening and testing.
If you are interested in becoming an egg donor, please complete the form below and we will share your information with an ARC clinic in your area.
