FAQs
An egg donor is a responsible, healthy, non-smoking woman between the ages of 21 and 28, of any ethnic and religious background, who is willing to donate her eggs to help someone else build their family.
Women who cannot produce or use their own eggs need donated eggs. Below are some of the reasons why:
- She has premature menopause
- She is a carrier of a genetic disease and does not want to pass it to her offspring
- She has gone through hormonal stimulation, and it did not generate a positive ovarian reserve
- She has had a hysterectomy or partial hysterectomy
- She has previous sterility problems as a result of cancer
Please note: These are just a few of the many reasons an egg donor may be necessary.
Are you worried about having your own kids one day? There are no long-term studies that link donating your eggs to infertility. Each woman is born with 1-2 million eggs. Every month, on her monthly cycle, eggs are released with only one or two eggs being considered mature. The egg donation procedure is only using the number of eggs the body would normally generate in a month. The stimulation treatment given during the egg donation process is assisting to mature as many of the donor’s eggs as possible. All egg donors who work with Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions work with extremely qualified physicians who will take every step to ensure her health and safety.
Please note: If at any point during the screening or testing process, the medical professionals have a concern with your personal fertility, you will not be cleared to donate your eggs.
Being an egg donor does require you to have a clear pap and STI screening within the past year. All other healthcare costs are financed by the intended parents. Once approved to donate, you will also be given an expense account to cover various costs such as contraception (birth control), pap smear, and all local travel which is within 25 miles, one-way, of where you live.
Most egg donors will be paid $9,000 -$12,000 for their time as an egg donor. A donor can donate up to 6 times so on average, a donor could be compensated around $63,000 for helping 6 families. Your compensation is direct deposited to your account via Escrow once the retrieval is completed, all medications have been returned to the clinic, and all travel receipts are finalized. Most donors receive their compensation within 3-5 business days although please allow for up 10 business days.
99% of all 1st time donors receive $9,000 for their 1st cycle. Most donors choose to increase their compensation between $500-$1,000 with each additional cycle. It is always important to note you are being compensated for your time (away from work, family, school), effort, medical risk, and inconvenience. You are NOT compensated for your eggs or the number of eggs retrieved.
Each cycle looks different as each physician we work with has their own protocols. However, on average you could expect your schedule to look something like this calendar. The commitment is 3-6 months with the bulk of that time the last 10-21 days. Your care coordinator will be sure you understand when and where your appointments are in advance so you can plan accordingly. You can choose to donate locally or be available to travel.
Most likely, yes. Being an egg donor really does take very little time leading up to the retrieval, but the time needed often falls during regular business hours. You will have four to eight appointments (usually in the morning) in addition to the actual egg retrieval. This does sometimes fall on Saturdays and Sundays, but when committing to be an egg donor you want to be able to have some time off or a flexible schedule. If more time is needed, we can provide a “doctor’s note” for whoever is concerned.
Please note: At some point in this process, you will be inconvenienced. You will have to find childcare, rearrange your schedule (in advance and sometimes at the last minute), miss an important work event, etc.
Potential egg donors may continue to use their choice of birth control while waiting to be matched with an intended parent.
- Women who have the implant or received a Depo Provera shot will likely need to wait 6 months before donating.
- Those who have an IUD that produces hormones will likely need to have it removed (Example: Mirena, Kyleena, Liletta, Skyla). They might even need to wait for a few months in order to start the screening & testing process.
- Those who use an IUD that does not produce hormones (Examples: Copper IUD such as Paragard, Nuva Ring), may donate without removing it.
- The decision around Birth Control will be made by the medical clinic once matched with a recipient. The contraception method is up to you and your doctor. However, in order to be available to be matched quickly, we suggest being on a 28-day contraception pill. Click here to read more about what most clinics we work with require in terms of birth control.
Yes, the egg is removed from the donor’s ovaries, so this is not an issue.
Our standards are set by ASRM and their guidelines. Therefore, six egg donation cycles is the most you can donate in your lifetime.
The short answer is yes. In an Unidentified Cycle, Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions will never release your personal information. However, through DNA testing, technical advances, and facial recognition, we feel it is possible for someone to discover you. For more on this topic, please read the next 5 questions.
Many agencies, clinics, and egg banks will frequently use the word “anonymous” when discussing their egg donor program. We will not. Unidentified simply means we will not be releasing anyone’s personal information. With new DNA testing, technical advances, and facial recognition, we cannot guarantee your anonymity and consequently feel we have an obligation to inform you of the opposite. In new research, 78% of donor conceived children found their donor via DNA testing. We believe that percentage will only increase as the popularity of these kinds of tests increases.
To learn more about the different types of egg donation cycles we facilitate, watch this short video.
An unidentified cycle with "ID Release" designation requires an Egg Donor to be willing to share their name, basic contact information, and updated medical history, if requested, to a donor-conceived child at the age of 18. The request for ID Release will be outlined in your Egg Donor Agency Agreement.
*Please note as of January 2025, if you are completing an egg donor cycle where the primary clinic is located in the state of Colorado, there will be mandatory ID Release for that cycle. Click here to review Colorado’s Egg Donor Education documents.
In an Identified/Known Cycle, Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions will release the intended parent’s and the egg donor’s full legal names after the Donor Preliminary Medical Screening as well as complete a joint session with a licensed mental health professional via an online platform. Upon a live birth, agreed-upon contact information will be released to each party, the donor’s DOB will be released, and all parties will be encouraged to sign up for DCPData, the Donor Sibling Registry, or a similar program.
In an Unidentified Cycle, Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions will not release contact information, but DCPData, the Donor Sibling Registry, or a similar program is still required to be included as an acceptable form of communication in your contract.
To learn more about the different types of egg donation cycles we facilitate, watch this short video.
DCPData and the Donor Sibling Registry are 3rd party websites that will allow you to communicate with the intended parents and possibly a donor-conceived child through a username or your first name. This will allow intended parents and/or a donor-conceived child to have accurate medical information and have contact in the future if all parties agree. With this system, you have full control of your personal identity and how you will or will not handle future contact. You will not be asked to sign up now, but it may be requested in the future. Right now, you simply need to be open to signing up when the time comes.
As opposed to Intended Parents or a future donor-conceived child reaching out to you through DNA sites, social media sites, or where you live, we want you to have safe and secure way to communicate if desired. Therefore, we recommend using DCPData, the Donor Sibling Registry, or a similar program. Without one of these programs being written into the direct donor agreement, future contact could be stressful or chaotic.
Side Effects from Stimulation Medications
- Some egg donors experience cramping, bloating, and discomfort during the ovarian stimulation which is similar to symptoms of their monthly period. Some may also experience nausea, head-aches, and fatigue due to the increased hormones.
Major Risks of Egg Donation:
- The major risk to egg donation is ovarian hyperstimulation or OHSS. This is where a woman's body experiences more discomfort than other donors due to enlarged ovaries and fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity. 10-20% of donors can face mild OHSS symptoms that does not require further treatment. These symptoms may include tiredness, bloating, cramping, nausea and pain/discomfort. These symptoms can be managed with additional fluids, pain medications, and rest.
- Only 1-5% experience moderate to severe OHSS which would require follow up care in most cases by a physician. Examples of this care may include, additional IV fluids, aspiration of the ovaries, pain medications and in extremely rare circumstances hospitalization for additional observation. In the event of any of these complications, all care will be covered by insurance purchased (by the intended parents) prior to the start of the process.
Side Effects from the Retrieval Procedure:
- The risk of serious complications is 1 in 1,000 and is similar to that of any medical procedure– internal bleeding, blood transfusion, organ infection, and also the general risks associated with anesthesia.
After the procedure, we are diligent about our follow up to ensure you are properly taken care of. Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions will refer you to a fertility specialist for additional care after the procedure if needed. Furthermore, the recipient family will purchase an insurance policy for each egg donor to cover any major complications that may occur after the donation process.
Click here to learn more about the risks and side effects to egg donation.
All medications required by an egg donor are administered by self-injection directed by a health care professional. You will be required to administer your injections daily for 14-21 days to prepare your body for the egg retrieval process. Most clinics will also require 1-2 month of oral birth control pills prior to stimulation medications.
Most egg donors produce an average of 13-24 eggs. This number depends on the donor and how her body responds to the medications. As few as 5, or as many as 35 or more eggs can be produced in each cycle.
Some egg donors experience light spotting, while others experience discomfort similar to menstrual cramps immediately after the egg retrieval process. These symptoms typically subside after a few days. In spite of the discomfort, most egg donors resume their regular activities very quickly. If an uncommon situation occurs, there are wonderfully qualified physicians that will be able to help.
We suggest all egg donors fully rest on the day of retrieval and relinquish themselves from all responsibilities (work, school, childcare, etc). Although most donors go back to work, school, or family following retrieval day, we encourage donors to take 1-2 more days off to rest and hydrate, if possible. We ask all donors to refrain from sexual intercourse and heavy exercise until your 1st period post-retrieval (7-14 days).
At Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions, we find a strong support system is key to a successful cycle.
We require:
- All donors must have at least 1-2 people that are aware of their donation and support their donation. We find doing this process alone is extremely difficult.
- All donors must have a companion for the retrieval process.
- If traveling, the companion must be present for a minimum of 3 days and MUST fly home with the egg donor after the procedure.
