Egg donation is a medical process that helps individuals and couples struggling with infertility build their families. California is a high-demand location for qualified donors due to its progressive stance on reproductive medicine and world-class fertility centers. Becoming an egg donor involves meeting specific physical criteria, navigating comprehensive screening, and committing to a defined medical timeline. This journey also includes important legal and financial arrangements unique to California’s regulatory environment.
Meeting Eligibility Standards
Potential egg donors in California must meet specific physical and health criteria. Most programs require donors to be between 21 and 32 years old, as this age range offers optimal ovarian health and egg quality. An ideal body mass index (BMI), typically under 30, is enforced to minimize risks associated with hormonal stimulation and the retrieval procedure.
Donors must be non-smokers and free from illegal drug use, as these factors negatively impact egg quality. A detailed review of the donor’s medical background is conducted to rule out chronic illnesses, hereditary conditions, or a family history of serious genetic disorders across three generations.
Navigating the Screening and Application Process
Once basic eligibility is confirmed, the prospective donor completes a multi-stage vetting process. This begins with an extensive online application and a detailed medical questionnaire regarding personal and family health history. Applicants who proceed are invited for an in-person medical evaluation, which includes a transvaginal ultrasound to assess ovarian reserve and reproductive health.
A mandatory component is a psychological evaluation, typically conducted by a licensed therapist or psychologist. This evaluation uses testing and interviews to ensure the donor understands the emotional, ethical, and social implications of donation. Extensive genetic testing and carrier screening are also performed according to guidelines from organizations like the American College of Medical Genetics.
Genetic screening involves blood work to test for infectious diseases, including HIV and hepatitis, and to determine carrier status for inherited conditions like cystic fibrosis. This screening process is highly selective. The donor is considered fully qualified and ready for matching only once all medical, psychological, and genetic results are cleared.
The Medical Procedure and Cycle Timeline
After matching, the donor begins the medical phase, which typically spans two to four weeks. The process starts with the donor taking birth control pills to synchronize her menstrual cycle with the recipient’s cycle. This is followed by a regimen of self-administered injectable fertility medications, known as gonadotropins, which stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs.
During the stimulation phase, the donor attends frequent monitoring appointments at the fertility clinic, sometimes five or more over a 10-to-12-day period. These appointments involve blood tests and ultrasounds to track hormone levels and measure developing ovarian follicles. Monitoring allows the physician to adjust medication dosages and determine the precise timing for retrieval.
When follicles reach the optimal size, the donor receives the “trigger shot,” prompting the final maturation of the eggs. The egg retrieval procedure is scheduled 35 to 36 hours later. Retrieval is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure performed under intravenous sedation. A doctor uses an ultrasound-guided needle inserted through the vagina to aspirate the eggs from the follicles.
The procedure takes about 20 minutes, and the donor returns home after a short recovery period. Donors must take the entire day off for the retrieval and avoid strenuous activity and intercourse until their next menstrual period, which occurs about 10 to 15 days later. Most donors experience minimal discomfort, such as mild bloating and cramping.
Understanding Legal Agreements and Compensation
California law requires a clear, written legal contract between the donor and the intended parents. This legally binding agreement explicitly states that the donor waives all parental rights and responsibilities to any resulting children. Without this executed document, courts may default to biological parentage, creating severe legal complications.
The intended parents cover the cost of the donor’s separate legal counsel to ensure the contract is reviewed independently. Compensation is provided for the donor’s time, effort, inconvenience, and physical demands of the process, not for the eggs themselves, as selling human tissue is prohibited. Payment is contingent upon the completion of the egg retrieval procedure.
Compensation rates in California are high due to demand and cost of living. First-time donors often receive a base payment between $6,000 and $15,000. All medical, psychological, genetic screening, and travel expenses incurred during the process are covered by the intended parents. Repeat donors or those with in-demand characteristics may receive higher compensation, sometimes exceeding $20,000 per completed cycle.