Are you thinking about becoming an egg donor? If you are, then one of the primary reasons you’re likely considering it is to help another person or couple have a baby.
Unfortunately, despite the fact that there are many individuals and couples that need egg donations, not every woman can donate. That is because there are certain qualifications you must meet before you can become an egg donor. These qualifications will vary from agency to agency, but there are some general standards that most agencies follow.
Why donate eggs?
We understand that donating eggs is a big commitment. Your time is valuable, which is exactly why we provide financial benefits to our donors. However, money isn’t the only reason that you should be thinking about donating your eggs.
Most women who decide to donate do so because of an intrinsic motivation to help others. They want to feel a great sense of pride in knowing that they’ve helped someone realize their dream of becoming a parent. As such, we go through great lengths to make the donation process as easy and safe as possible.
As part of our screening process, you’ll go through various physical, mental, and genetic testing and evaluations to ensure the quality of your eggs. We have a thorough vetting process in place to ensure that both the donor and the eggs being donated are healthy, and that the egg donation process doesn’t risk the wellbeing of the donor.
How to become an egg donor candidate
Although there are no federal laws in place that regulate the egg donation process, most fertility clinics and agencies follow similar guidelines when it comes to screening potential donors. With that in mind, the following are the minimum eligibility requirements for egg donation here at KindEos:
- BMI ≤ 30: You must be in good health and have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or less. This is to ensure that the egg retrieval process is as minimally invasive as possible and that you have a low risk of developing any serious side effects or complications.
- Age 21-31: Donors must be between the ages of 21 and 31. We want to make sure that our donors are physically mature and have the maturity to make an informed decision, follow instructions, and commit to the egg donation schedule. We don’t accept donors over the age of 31 because egg quality begins to decline around this age.
- Tobacco, vaping, drugs, and STD free: You must be free of any tobacco products, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes. You must also be drug-free and have no history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). This is to ensure that the recipient and baby remain healthy, and that no diseases are transmitted either.
- Normal pap smear: You must have had a normal pap smear – as defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) – within the last two years. This is to ensure that you don’t have any cervical abnormalities that could complicate the egg retrieval process.
- Minimum of high school diploma, college degree preferred: We prefer that our donors have at least a college degree, although we will accept those with a high school diploma. An education helps ensure that donors are more likely to make informed and educated decisions regarding their choice to donate.
- No family history of genetic diseases: Potential donors are screened for potential genetic diseases to ensure that the baby conceived from the eggs is not at risk of inheriting those diseases.
- U.S. citizen and resident: All of our donors must be U.S. citizens and current residents. This is for legal reasons as well as to ensure that our donors can make it to all their appointments on time.
- U.S. driver’s license: A U.S. driver’s license is required to ensure that our donors can get to their appointments on time.
The application and evaluation process of egg donation
Although we have some basic requirements for donation eligibility, it’s worth noting that our application and evaluation process goes beyond this. In fact, our process is very thorough and consists of several different stages. It can take up to two weeks to complete the evaluation process and qualify as an egg donor. The following are the different stages of our evaluation process:
Pre-Screening Application
Our pre-screening application, which is also known as the Short Egg Donor Application, is the first step in our evaluation process. The application consists of 15 questions that help us determine whether or not you meet our basic requirements. The pre-screening application shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes to fill out.
Overall Egg Donor Application
Once the pre-screen application is reviewed and it’s determined that you meet all of our basic requirements, you’ll need to fill out our overall egg donor application, which is a more in-depth application that will take around 60 to 90 minutes to complete. You’ll be asked for:
- Your family history
- Your medical history
- Personal application
- Personal profile
- Childhood photos
Phone Consultation
Once you’ve completed your overall egg donor application, one of our KindEos specialists will contact you to schedule an over-the-phone consultation to discuss your application. This consultation typically lasts 15 to 20 minutes.
Legal Implications And Disclosure Considerations
During this stage of our evaluation process, you’ll meet with one of our legal representatives to discuss the legal implications and disclosure considerations associated with egg donation.
It’s important to understand that once you donate your eggs, you will not have any legal rights or responsibilities to the child that is conceived as a result of your donation.
Here at KindEos, we provide a free legal consultation so that all of your questions and concerns about egg donation can be addressed. One of our experienced fertility attorneys will go over all legal implications and disclosure considerations of being an egg donor.
It’s our goal to make sure that each donor is educated about every step of the process –- including all the legalities – so that they can ultimately make an informed decision.
Medical Screening And Testing
The next stage of our evaluation process is medical screening and testing. Once you’ve reviewed the legal implications and disclosure considerations of egg donation, one of our fertility specialists will review your medical history to make sure that you don’t have any medical conditions that would make egg donation unsafe for you.
You’ll also need to undergo an ultrasound, as well as have your blood drawn to check for communicable diseases.
Physician Consultation And Physical Examination
After your medical screening and testing are complete, you’ll have a consultation with one of our fertility specialists. During this consultation, the doctor will review your medical tests and any other relevant information to determine if you’re a good candidate for egg donation. You’ll also undergo a physical examination to make sure that you’re in good health.
Genetic Testing
If you’re determined to be a good candidate for egg donation, you’ll undergo genetic testing. This testing is done to rule out any genetic disorders that could be passed on to the child.
Psychological Counseling And Screening
Last, but not least, you’ll need to undergo psychological counseling and screening. This is done to make sure that you’re emotionally and psychologically prepared for egg donation and that you understand all of the risks and implications associated with the process.
A psychologist will review your psychological history to make sure that you don’t have any underlying mental health issues that could impact your well-being during egg donation.
Beyond the physical qualifications
The egg donation process can take up to two months in total to complete, and it can be both physically and emotionally stressful.
The physical screenings are thorough to ensure that the donor’s health won’t be at risk during the process (which includes multiple hormone injections as well as an invasive egg retrieval procedure) and that the eggs are healthy.
However, both the physical aspect of the process and the fact that a child will be conceived from the donated eggs can also cause emotional stress, which is why we require our donors to go through psychological counseling and screening.
It’s not just about qualifying on a physical level, you must also have the strategies to cope with all the implications of the donation.
How many times can you donate eggs?
Egg donation is a very safe procedure, but there are still some risks associated with it. For example, the egg retrieval process (which is done under anesthesia) carries a very small risk of complications such as infection, bleeding, or damage to the bowel or bladder.
Additionally, the hormonal injections that are given to stimulate egg maturity can, in rare instances, result in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
Because of these risks, we only allow our donors to go through the egg donation process a maximum of six times, as recommended by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). By limiting the number of times you can donate, you also reduce the risk of OHSS.
Start your application and find out if you qualify
If you want to help childless couples and individuals achieve their dream of starting a family, egg donation may be the perfect option for you. The process is both physically and emotionally demanding, but it’s also an incredibly rewarding experience.
If you think you might be interested in egg donation, the first step is to start the application process. Fill out our pre-screening application today to determine if you meet our minimum requirements for egg donation.
Want to check your eligibility for becoming an egg donor?
