Donating eggs can be an empowering experience. After all, you’re giving another individual or couple the ability to have a baby when they otherwise may not have been able to.
However, not every woman can be an egg donor. There are several requirements that potential egg donors must meet – including minimum age requirements.
When it comes to egg donation, age isn’t just a number. It’s a major factor in determining whether or not a woman will be able to successfully donate her eggs. Age is also critical in terms of the donor’s physical and psychological maturity.
With that in mind, the following describes why age is such an important consideration when it comes to egg donation.
At what age can you donate eggs?
According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM):
“The donor should be of legal adult age in their state, ideally at least 21 years, and should ideally be young enough so that the risks to the offspring associated with an increased paternal age, such as autism, are minimized.”
At KindEos, we follow the ASRM recommendation and require donors to be at least 21 and no older than 31 years of age. Our donors are old enough to be fully informed about the decision they’re making, but still young enough to minimize the risks associated with the egg retrieval.
Reasons why there is a minimum age for donating eggs
The age restrictions we’ve put into place at KindEos are not arbitrary. There are very good reasons why we are so strict about the age qualifications of our egg donors.
The following are the primary reasons why we’ve set our age requirements between the ages of 21 to 31.
Rigid Screening Process
Not only is the egg donation process rigorous, but the actual screening process can be as well. Our screenings are very thorough and take upwards of two weeks to complete. Physical evaluations include ultrasounds and various blood tests.
Potential donors also have to go through genetic and psychological counseling and screening. Such a rigorous screening process is likely to be too emotionally overwhelming for a younger woman (especially one in her early teens).
Egg Retrieval is a Medical Procedure
It’s important to remember that egg donation is a medical procedure. It involves taking medications via injections to stimulate the ovaries, and then undergoing surgery to have the eggs retrieved.
This is not a decision to be made lightly, and it’s important that donors are of an age where they can make a fully informed decision.
Age Defines Egg Quality And Quantity
A woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have, and the number of eggs decreases as she gets older. This natural decline in the number and quality of eggs is called ovarian aging.
One of the primary reasons why we only accept donors between the ages of 21 and 31 is because this is when women are at the optimal range of their fertility. This is the age range at which a woman’s eggs are of a high quality, and when a woman is more likely to have a more informed and empowering experience.
Once a woman ages over 30, both the quantity and quality of her eggs starts to decline.
Donating Eggs Is A Significant Responsibility
Egg donors must be mature enough to manage the full scope of the donation. The decision to donate eggs is a personal one, no one can make the decision for you.
Donors must be mature enough to know themselves and know their own mind about the longer term aspects of the process.
Most women (and people in general) who are younger (such as in their teenage years) haven’t experienced the responsibilities of an adult yet, which means that they may not know what they are getting into when signing up for egg donation.
Donors must also be responsible and able to manage the entire process, including commiting to the screening process and cycle schedule. That said, having the support and encouragement of a partner or support network can help donors through the donation process.
Additional qualifications aside from minimum age
Age is not the only factor that is considered for qualifying as an egg donor. To minimize risks to donors and maximize conception outcomes for recipients, the screening process includes several stages following the initial application to qualify as an egg donor:
- Physical Examination: All potential donors must undergo a physical examination to ensure they are physically healthy and able to donate eggs.
- Full Medical Screening And Testing: Potential donors must also undergo a full medical screening, which includes tests for sexually transmitted diseases and other medical conditions.
- Psychological Evaluation: The emotional stress of the egg donation process can be a lot to handle.
As such, all potential donors must undergo a psychological evaluation to ensure that they do not have any psychological disorders that could affect their mental well-being during the egg donation process. - Reproductive Legal Attorney Counseling: We believe it’s essential that donors understand their legal rights. Therefore, potential donors must meet with a reproductive legal attorney to discuss the legal implications of egg donation.
- Genetic Counseling And Screening: All potential donors must undergo genetic counseling to ensure they are not carrying any genetic mutations that could be passed on to a child.
Is it possible to donate eggs more than once?
Yes, it is possible to donate eggs more than once. In fact, it’s easier to donate again with us at KindEos once you have already passed the screening process the first time around.
There are some restrictions in place regarding how many times and how often a woman can donate. Our guidelines state that a woman can donate up to six times in her lifetime, with at least two to three months between each donation cycle.
Why donate eggs?
There are many reasons why a woman may choose to donate her eggs. Some women do it for financial compensation, while others do it to help those who are struggling to conceive. Some women feel it is an act of kindness, while others see it as an opportunity to help create a family.
Whatever the reason, egg donation is a generous act that can have a profound impact on the lives of others.
Get started on a fulfilling journey to help build families
Egg donation is a big responsibility, but it is also a very rewarding experience. Not only can you help someone build their family, but you can also earn financial compensation for your time and efforts.
Here at KindEos, we offer egg donors $8,000. If donors donate a second time, we offer $8,500. For third-time donors, we offer $9,000.
If you are considering donating your eggs, we encourage you to fill out our online application. Once you’ve been approved, one of our staff members will contact you to schedule a consultation.
Interested in helping create a modern family?
