Egg Donation Frequently Asked Questions
How does NAFG find its donor candidates?
NAFG advertises electronically on the Web by promoting our own site, appearing on specialty sites relevant to the industry, and by placing classified advertisements. We conduct print advertising campaigns in college newspapers. In addition, we receive candidate referrals from our network of contacts in the medical and social work fields.
How does NAFG screen its donor candidates?
All candidates fill out our 13-page questionnaire, accessible through our Web site. We encourage prospective recipients to look at the questionnaire in order to have an idea of the information we have on file. In addition, we ask for current digital photos and childhood photos (if available), a copy of a current photo ID (to verify the likeness / name correspondence), and any school and test score transcripts available.
All candidates are then interviewed by phone and whenever possible, in person. We conduct basic background checks to make sure that each donor’s social security number is valid, that it corresponds to the date of birth provided, and that no criminal records associated with the candidate have been filed.
Donors send us their own photos. In addition, we take our own digital photos when we meet donors in person. The photos we distribute (unless identified as modeling photos) have not been retouched or altered in any way.
We do not conduct any medical tests. This will be the responsibility of your own IVF clinic. However, we ask many follow-up questions regarding each donor’s family medical history, as indicated on the questionnaire. If any prohibitive conditions exist the donor is disqualified. Most applications are indeed rejected for a variety of reasons.
Do you have a registration fee?
No. If you are working with a reputable clinic (registered with SART, the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology), we are happy to provide you access to our database, provide you with more information, and answer all your questions.
How do I go about choosing a donor?
Choosing a donor can be a stressful process for many people. We suggest attempting to list the characteristics you are looking for, in order of priority.
All candidates are already fit, healthy non-smokers. You may want to choose a donor with physical features or an ethnic background that matches the intended mother’s as closely as possible. Education, athletic or artistic ability may be a priority for some. We encourage clients to share their concerns with us, since we can suggest possible matches as new applicants are screened.
Travel can make the donation process more complicated, but our services include handling all the travel arrangements and coordinating schedules and appointments. Protocols for out-of-town donors vary from clinic to clinic: all require the screening and retrieval to take place on site, but some allow monitoring at an IVF facility in the donor’s hometown. Keep in mind that recipients are responsible for all travel-related expenses, which are estimated ahead of time and held in trust before any testing or procedures begin.
How do I get more information about a donor?
Contact us with the codes of the donors who interest you. We will e-mail you detailed descriptions of their backgrounds and family histories, based on the information provided on their questionnaires and interviews. We will send additional photos, if available. If you have any further questions, we will ask the donor and get answers as soon as possible.
If I am considering a repeat donor, do I find out the results of her previous retrieval(s)?
If the donor’s previous cycle was arranged through us, we will know the number of eggs retrieved and fertilized. But no matter how the previous cycle was arranged, the medical records will be forwarded to your physician for review.
Are there waiting lists for donors?
No. If a donor is not marked as ”Reserved for Cycle,” she is available right away, unless otherwise indicated. If you are very interested in a donor who is currently cycling, we will contact you after the results of her retrieval are known and if she has agreed to donate again.
How do I reserve a donor?
We will send you our service agreement to sign and return to us along with our fee. Then the donor can fill out the forms for your clinic and set up the screening appointments.
How much does it cost?
NAFG Program Fee: $4,000 ($3,000 if part of NAFG’s Gestational Surrogacy program)
NAFG Administration Fee: $1,000
Egg Donor Fee: $10,000 (Under no circumstances are donors paid more than $10,000.)
Insurance: $180 - $400 premium (sometimes included in medical expenses)
Legal fees for donor and recipient: approx. $1,500
Expenses and travel: $0 - approx. $4,000 (depending on circumstance/amount of travel required)
Medical fees are not included. These vary and should be outlined by your clinic.
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's Ethics Committee guidelines published in 2000 and restated in 2007, egg donor compensation exceeding $10,000 is inappropriate. NAFG shares this view. Under no circumstances are donors paid more than $10,000. Donors are compensated for the time and effort required for the process, not for their eggs. NAFG offers the highest amount allowed by the ASRM in order to attract motivated, qualified egg donor candidates from around the country.
What if my donor does not pass her medical screening or does not respond well to the medication? What is your refund policy?
If the donor does not show up for her screening appointments, you are entitled to a total refund, or to choose another donor at no additional charge.
This only happens on rare occasions, as we do our best to offer only the most motivated candidates. Once the process enters the screening phase,
our fee is non-refundable. However, if medical issues concerning the donor arise during the screening or stimulation phases which would prevent
a retrieval, you may choose another candidate from our pool within twelve months at no additional charge.
If the donor goes through all the screening and is disqualified, through no fault of her own, our fee remains non-refundable, but you may choose
another donor from our pool within twelve months at no additional charge. If the donor does not respond well to the medications, through no fault of her
own, and no retrieval takes place, she is entitled to $500 for her time and effort (drawn from NAFG funds, at no extra charge to you). The full
$10,000 fee held in trust will be returned to you and you may choose another donor from our pool within twelve months at no additional charge. If the
retrieval takes place, no matter the outcome, the donor is entitled to her full fee. Fee terms are outlined in our service agreement, provided to
you when you reserve a donor.
What is the purpose of the egg donor contract?
The egg donor contract, negotiated between the recipient(s) and donor through their respective attorneys, describes all the rights and responsibilities of both parties. This includes scheduling, compensation, expenses, and issues of custody, confidentiality, parental rights, etc. It is signed by both parties anonymously. NAFG has professional relationships with independent attorneys who concentrate in assisted reproduction law and will refer one to the donor, and recommend one to the recipient, if desired. The contract must be signed by both parties before the donor begins her medications.
May I meet my donor in person?
NAFG encourages strictly anonymous relationships between donors and recipients. Anonymity prevents a host of complications that could jeopardize the process. The emotional component is probably the most sensitive. Once the seal of anonymity is broken, donor and recipient must determine to what extent they should be involved in each other’s lives, and in the lives of any potential offspring. Everyone must agree where to draw that line. This issue needs to be handled with great care in order for all parties to be happy with the outcome. However, when both donor and recipient are open to a non-anonymous relationship, NAFG’s counselors will help negotiate the points of contact, whether it is a phone conversation, exchange of letters, or an in-person meeting.
Keep in mind that you will always have photos and a full description of your donor for your reference, and to show your child if you choose. Your IVF clinic will keep records on file in case any medical emergency arises which would require revealing the identity of the donor.
What is NAFG’s policy on maintenance of records?
NAFG will endeavor to maintain, to the extent feasible, Donor/Carrier identifying information and Recipient Parent/Intended Parent identifying information for an indefinite period of time. When an Egg Donor Agreement or Gestational Surrogacy Agreement governs the relationship between the Parties, it customarily indicates instances when the identities of the participants may and/or must be revealed. NAFG will do its part to comply with the terms of these Agreements. The IVF clinics involved and individual attorneys involved should also be considered a resource when and if necessary.
Please see our blog for more information for Donor Egg Recipients.
