Understanding the egg donor selection process step by step
Infertility affects 1 in 8 people worldwide and can leave couples devastated and frustrated. Luckily, there are egg donors and surrogates willing to help those struggling to have a baby. Family Creations, an egg donor and surrogate agency, works closely with these candidates to give couples the best possible selections to choose from. While you are in complete control of the egg donor selection process, there are things you should consider and some traits you should be open-minded about.
Of course, we all want our children to be happy, healthy, and of great genes. Our team at Family Creations helps narrow down the process for you, as we have already screened thousands of highly qualified, healthy egg donors. We provide you with an extensive photo gallery, thorough profiles, and an extensive family health history. As part of the egg donor selection process, we get to know each donor very well before they are approved and made available to our clients. Let’s explore the egg donation process step by step and learn about the characteristics you may want to consider:
Realistic vs. Difficult-to-Find Donor Characteristics
As part of the egg donor selection process, creating a list of genetic and personal characteristics you’d like your donor to possess is important. Here are examples of realistic and difficult-to-find desires.
Realistic Desire: “I want my egg donor to have graduated from college with a degree.” This desire is a realistic trait that many individuals and couples would want their child to have.
Difficult to find: “I want my egg donor to have had a 4.5 GPA and graduated from one of the top schools in the country.” As you proceed through the egg donation process step by step, it’s important to stay open-minded about your options. Something to consider here: many very intelligent people have not been afforded the opportunity to attend top colleges, which does not mean they are not brilliantly smart. Some of our most outstanding, articulate, and intelligent young women who are included in the egg donor selection process attend state universities and even community colleges. Intelligence is not only a product of genes but a combination of many factors, including upbringing, socioeconomic opportunities, etc.
Realistic Desire: “My egg donor needs to be very healthy, with a family history of great health.” This desire is a very realistic trait that you should definitely consider. Having a great family health record can give you comfort and satisfaction and may even mean less risk of your child having certain health conditions as they grow.
Difficult to find: “My egg donor needs to come from a flawless family health history with longevity and strong physical and athletic performance.” This desire can be very unrealistic. Yes, it is important to know that your egg donor comes from a healthy family, and she herself is healthy. However, all families, including yours, have some medical conditions. The critical thing to consider here is that the donor’s offspring has no higher genetic predisposition for certain medical conditions than the general population. As part of the egg donor selection process, we work with some of the best geneticists around the country who will work directly with your fertility doctor to assess such risks. It is a red flag for our team when a donor states that no one in her family has any medical conditions. We encourage our donors to speak with other family members to be sure they have provided us with a thorough assessment of their family health history. If you are registered with other agencies, and you see a pattern of their donors all having a “flawless” family history, you need to ask how thoroughly the agency has vetted the donor and how much research the donor has done regarding her family health history.
Helping You Navigate the Egg Donor Selection Process Step by Step
The Family Creations team is happy to discuss our screening protocol and egg donor selection process. To schedule a free consultation, give us a call today! We look forward to hearing from you and helping you create the family of your dreams.