Become An Egg Donor

Yes, the egg donation process is very safe with over 20,000 cycles being performed in the United States annually it is considered a routine procedure. The risks of egg donation are relatively low, with serious problems being uncommon.
“There are no long-term adverse risks of IVF” or egg donation,” said Richard J. Paulson, president of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and head of the infertility program at the University of Southern California – one of the nation’s oldest egg donor programs.

During the procedure (the egg retrieval), you will be put to sleep for about 20-30 minutes, so you will not feel anything. Following the procedure, some may experience mild cramping and bloating. You may or may not experience some of the symptoms.
Every person is different, so the effects of the process will vary, but if you feel pain – relax, it is definitely more than manageable.

There is no study showing that being an egg donor will affect your fertility in the future. The average woman is born with 2 million eggs. By puberty, that pool consists of about 400,000 follicles (eggs). From these, only 400 will reach maturity and be ovulated. This leaves approximately 399,600 unused. In a typical cycle a woman generally produces 15-20 eggs. Usually, only one egg is released for ovulation and the body discards the rest. During our ovarian stimulation process, we develop the extra eggs that would otherwise be destroyed. This explains why the normal pool of ovarian follicles is not depleted by egg donation.
You may speak directly with one of our physicians if you would like to discuss this further.

The majority of our Egg Donors do donate multiple times because they find the process to be fulfilling and relatively easy. Egg donors are able to donate around 3 times per year, depending on the length of the process for each cycle. The maximum according to ASRM is 6 times. Our physicians can help determine this number on an individual basis.

You will need to have two regular periods between cycles or wait 2 months.

Our physician recommends bed rest for at least 24 hours.

To donate eggs, your BMI must be within a healthy range according to guidelines set by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Even if it is not the most accurate scale, it does help to estimate a healthy weight-height distribution. In order to compensate for its slight discrepancy, we do accept donors that are considered slightly overweight according to the BMI scale. The reason we have to adhere to these guidelines is that if your BMI is high, your natural fertility may be affected, making the process of egg donation too risky for you. You may not respond well to the necessary ovarian stimulation needed for egg donation. It’s our responsibility to make sure all our egg donors are healthy and well enough to donate eggs. Your safety is our main concern which is why these guidelines are in place.

No, you can not be an egg donor when you are pregnant. You can also not be an egg donor while you are still breastfeeding. However, you can still fill out the pre-screen application to see whether you would be eligible. That way you can find out whether you would be eligible after you completed your pregnancy.

Yes, you can! Birth control removal will be discussed with your egg donor coordinator once accepted into the program. When it gets closer to the egg retrieval date, we will provide you with our birth control pills.s

Illnesses/medications are usually not an automatic disqualifier. However, for a lot of conditions/medications, our physicians decide on a case by case basis whether it makes you ineligible. We highly encourage you to complete the application with as much detail on your medical history or medication you take to help provide them with a better understanding of your health. Please keep in mind that our physicians look out for your best interest and that denial based on such medical conditions is to prevent any health complications or increased health risks when donating. We want to assure you that your safety is our top priority.

Yes, you may still become an egg donor after getting your tubes tied.

We’ll review your COMPLETED application within 1-3 business days and let you know if you meet the initial criteria. If you do, we’ll schedule your brief egg donor phone interview. During your interview, we’ll discuss how the egg donation process works and answer any questions you may have.

Yes. If you have a friend or family member that is willing to do the injections for you, that is also an option.

It depends on the doctor’s protocol. Each person is a little different. Typically, it’s 10-12 days.

Once you are matched, it can take 3 to 4 months before your egg retrieval (depending on several variables).

Once you submit your application, you will hear from us within 72 hours if you qualify. If you can be accepted into our program we will ask you to complete an interview with us. During that interview you learn more about the process and get answers on any questions you may have.

Everyone is different. Some retrievals will result in 2 eggs, some will result in 20 or more. It depends on your body and how your body reacts to the medications.

You will travel to our location in San Diego, California. All costs will be paid upfront by us. All travel arrangements (flights, hotels, etc.) will be booked by us. You will only have to travel for the egg retrieval (7-9 days).

All the appointments in between will be done at a center local to you. If you are an international donor, you will only have to travel once, the duration of your trip will last 18-21 days to complete your donation cycle.

You may experience some cramping, bloating, or soreness/tenderness. We can prescribe pain medication as necessary, but we encourage rest and relaxation! We are also able to provide a physician’s note for school/work so you are afforded sufficient time to focus on recovery. Your coordinators on the Egg Donation and IVF Team will be maintaining communication to provide medical care as needed.
Reminder – recovery looks different for everybody, but regardless, you won’t be on your own!

During the procedure (the egg retrieval), you will be put under anesthesia for about 20-30 minutes. The eggs are drawn out of follicles with gentle suction from the help of ultrasound images. It is the same procedure that women undergo who freeze their eggs or go through IVF (in vitro fertilization) to get pregnant.

Unlike other egg programs, the process with our egg bank is very fast. You don’t need to wait to be matched with an Intended Parent. If your application is approved and selected by us we will let you know immediately and coordinate your egg retrieval process. Depending on your availability the entire process is 1-2 months.

We take the privacy of our Egg Donors very seriously. Nearly all of our donors are anonymous. In rare cases the donor and the Intended Parents choose to meet. Any private information provided through applications, interviews or other documents are all confidential.

They will have your first name, donor number, and public information such as age, height, education, health and family history information.

No. Unless there is a special request (which is rare), by the IPs to meet you, and you agree, there will not be any contact with the IPs.

Unless it is a special situation, you will have minimal information. You may only know whether the IPs are a single parent or a couple. In some cases, the sex of the parent(s).

The decision about notifying you of a pregnancy is up to the Intended Parents. Typically, they are okay with divulging the results, but some are not.

Yes. There will be a contract between you and the Intended Parents. This will outline your compensation for egg donation and emphasize that you will have no parental rights from any children born as a result of this donation. We provide you with independent legal counsel.

The average starting compensation for egg donors is $7,000. However, compensation differs based on a number of factors, including the donor’s education, her donation history, and other factors.

Egg Donors get paid from an escrow account that the Intended Parents establish.

You will get a start-of-medications fee (typically $750) then the remaining amount after the retrieval is completed. So, if your compensation is $7,000, you will receive $750 after you start your injectable medications, and the remaining amount, $6,250 after the retrieval is completed.

Typically compensation is delivered via check.

Everything is paid for in advance by the Intended Parents so there is nothing you will pay for out of pocket. However, if you are asked to pay out of pocket for something, you will be promptly reimbursed.