Information for Egg Donors
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Thank you for your interest in NAFG's donor egg program. Egg donation is a gift that lasts a lifetime. Each donor's generosity is rewarded in many ways. By becoming an egg donor, you may help individuals or couples achieve the families they have always wanted. The process requires a few weeks of diligence and attention but minimal discomfort or pain.
Click here for our Egg Donor Application.
We hope most of your questions are answered here. Feel free to phone or e-mail us at inquiry@assistedfertility.com with any additional questions you may have.
Who can be an egg donor?
An ideal egg donor candidate is a healthy, educated woman between 21 and 30. Repeat donors up to 33 years of age may be considered. She can be of any ethnic or religious background but should not be adopted (since genetic history will need to be known). She must be a non-smoker, free of hereditary disease, and possess the maturity and responsibility to handle the process. NAFG works with recipient families all over the US and in a number of countries overseas. The donor may live anywhere in the US.
Furthermore, donor candidates must be physically fit with a BMI (body mass index) less than 27. To calculate your BMI, go to http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/.
If you believe you meet these criteria and would like to apply, please click here for our Egg Donor Application.
How does egg donation work?
After a review of the questionnaire, the applicant will be interviewed by our egg donor program manager. Qualified candidates are posted on our Web site anonymously (a photo and general information will appear without the donor's name) for the exclusive viewing of NAFG clients. Once a donor is chosen, she begins the medical component of her screening at the recipient’s IVF clinic. Her identity will remain undisclosed to the recipient(s).
Once the match is made, comprehensive egg donation agreements will be drafted and reviewed. You will have independent legal representation. The legal fees are paid by the recipient (s).
How long does the egg donation process last?
Once a donor is selected by a person or couple, the process ordinarily takes up to about 8 weeks. During that time, you may go to work or school and maintain most of your regular routine, but you will be required to attend a number of doctor's appointments. The retrieval procedure will require a day off from work or school.
What medical procedures are involved?
Once matched, donors undergo a variety of medical screenings that will include blood tests for infectious and genetic diseases, gynecological and psychological examinations, and an interview with a geneticist.
The actual donation process occurs in three stages. First, the donor and recipients menstrual cycles will be synchronized, typically through an injection of the drug Lupron. Then donors receive follicle-stimulating hormones to increase the number of mature eggs produced in the cycle. Although the injections may be administered at home, the end of this stage requires day-to-day monitoring (through blood tests and ultrasound exams) in the doctor's office.
Once the doctor observes the follicles to the point of full maturity, the retrieval procedure is scheduled. A final injection of egg releasing hormone is given and then the retrieval takes place about 36 hours later. The retrieval occurs in the doctor's office by the aspiration of the follicles through the vagina. It takes about a half hour. It requires light anesthesia and a full day of rest. Someone must accompany the donor home the day of the retrieval.
What happens to donor eggs after retrieval?
An average cycle yields about 5-15 eggs. They are then placed in an incubator where they are fertilized with sperm and observed for about 24 hours. If they are fertilized successfully, they may be implanted in the uterus of the recipient. Any fertilized embryos remaining may be frozen for later use.
What are the risks and side effects of these drugs and procedures?
The side effects of the follicle stimulating hormones are similar to PMS: bloating, irritability, etc. The retrieval may cause some temporary soreness or cramps that last a few hours, but the procedure itself is not painful. Serious side effects are very rare, and no long-term effects of egg donation have been discovered. It should have no effect on the donor's ability to have children of her own. The doctor discusses the full range of risks with each donor at length. To avoid the risk of pregnancy, donors must abstain from sex during the process.
For an extensive description of the procedure and its risks, NAFG recommends prospective egg donors consult the guidebook Thinking of Becoming an Egg Donor? prepared by The New York State Task Force on Life and the Law's Advisory Group on Assisted Reproductive Technologies, http://www.health.state.ny.us/community/reproductive_health/infertility/eggdonor.htm
Can an egg donor participate more than once?
Yes. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends a maximum of six donation cycles per donor. A period of at least three months is recommended between each donation.
Do I find out if my donation results in a successful pregnancy?
Generally no, as part of the mutual anonymity policy. However, you are informed of the number of eggs retrieved.
How much money do egg donors earn?
$8,000, payable immediately after the retrieval.
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's Ethics Committee guidelines published in 2000, donor compensation exceeding $10,000 is inappropriate. NAFG shares this view.
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