Learn About Egg Donor Eligibility
Curious about becoming an egg donor? Check out this list to see if egg donation is a good fit for you:
You Must Be Responsible – Egg donation is a time-sensitive process. Missing an appointment or failing to take your medication correctly can be detrimental to the cycle. While every donor is assigned a case manager to guide them through the process, the donor herself is responsible for ensuring she follows all instructions given by her case manager and IVF doctor.
Flexible schedule – Egg donation is time sensitive as it is a biological process that is coordinated around the menstrual cycle of the donor and recipient mother or gestational carrier. For this reason, doctor’s appointments are not flexible. When evaluating if you have what it takes to be an egg donor, remember that an ideal candidate has some flexibility in their schedule to attend doctor’s appointments and take off 7-10 days for the egg retrieval trip.
You’re comfortable with doctor’s appointments and needles. Throughout an egg donation cycle, each donor must attend several doctor’s appointments and administer medication through subcutaneous self-injections (see our blog on cycle medications). Being comfortable with this process is essential for egg donor eligibility.
Ethnic background – Family Creations welcomes donors of all ethnic backgrounds into our program. We have a beautifully diverse pool of exceptional egg donors available. Certain ethnic backgrounds, such as East Indian and Asian, are in high demand since few egg donors from these specific ethnicities are available. Jewish egg donors are also highly sought after by recipients.
Physical and mental health – As part of the process of determining if you have what it takes to be an egg donor, at Family Creations, all potential donors are required to undergo medical, genetic, and psychological screening. Ideal egg donor candidates are in good physical and emotional health. One crucial health factor is falling within a healthy BMI range. Also, if you’re considering egg donation, it’s a good idea to gather information on your family’s health history and ethnic background for the mandatory genetic consultation. The geneticist provides a report based on the donor’s family history that helps the recipient’s IVF doctor determine the needed testing.
Non-smoker – When it comes to egg donor eligibility, research studies show that the ovarian reserve, egg quality, and quantity are reduced in women who smoke. Smokers also have lower numbers of follicles when stimulated for egg retrieval and fewer eggs retrieved. If you’re a smoker, you, unfortunately, do not have what it takes to be an egg donor (perhaps that will be an incentive to quit!)
Age – Family Creations accepts women between the ages of 21-29 into our egg donor program. Even in the healthiest of women, studies have revealed both egg quality and quantity decrease with age, with a significant decline around age 30.
Compassion – This is an important quality to have as an egg donor. The person or couple you are donating for is counting on you to help them make their dreams of becoming a parent a reality. They are in a vulnerable position as recipients. An ideal egg donor candidate understands this and does everything they can to ensure a successful cycle.
So, do you think you have what it takes to be an egg donor? If so, we welcome you to apply with Family Creations.
Have more questions about our egg donor eligibility requirements? Give us a call at 818-225-1700. We look forward to hearing from you!
References:
Sherbahan, R. (n.d.). Smoking Tobacco and the Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Fertility, Infertility, and IVF Success. Retrieved from http://www.advancedfertility.com/smoking.htm
Sherbahan, R. (n.d.). Female Age, Fertility and Infertility. Retrieved from http://www.advancedfertility.com/age.htm