Egg donation is a process where a woman provides her eggs to another individual or couple to help them achieve a pregnancy. This forms a significant part of assisted reproductive technology, offering a path to parenthood for those facing conception challenges. Donated eggs are typically fertilized in a laboratory through in vitro fertilization (IVF), and the resulting embryos are transferred to the recipient’s uterus. This method helps individuals or couples experiencing infertility due to factors like ovarian failure, genetic conditions, or advanced age.
Who Can Donate
Becoming an egg donor requires meeting specific criteria to promote the health of both the donor and any potential offspring. Donors are generally between 21 and 30, though some programs accept individuals from 19 to 34. Physical health requirements include a healthy body mass index (BMI) of 19-29, regular menstrual periods, being a non-smoker, abstaining from illicit drug use, and having both ovaries.
Mental stability is also important. A comprehensive review of the individual’s medical history, including family medical history, is standard practice to identify any inheritable conditions.
Initial Steps and Screening
After meeting initial eligibility, a potential egg donor undergoes a detailed screening process. This begins with an online application, including comprehensive questionnaires about personal and family medical history. Initial interviews, sometimes virtual, assess the donor’s understanding and motivation.
A thorough medical screening involves a physical and pelvic exam, plus various blood tests. These tests check hormone levels, blood type, and screen for infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and chlamydia. Genetic screening uses blood, saliva, or tissue samples to identify carriers of genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, and sickle cell anemia. This genetic assessment helps minimize the risk of passing inherited conditions to a child. Finally, a psychological evaluation assesses the donor’s emotional readiness, understanding of the process, and overall mental well-being.
The Medical Procedure
The medical phase begins with ovarian stimulation, which encourages the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs in one cycle. This involves daily hormone injections, such as gonadotropins, for approximately 10 to 12 days. These medications stimulate the growth of fluid-filled sacs in the ovaries, called follicles, each potentially containing an egg.
Throughout stimulation, the donor undergoes regular monitoring via ultrasounds and blood tests. Ultrasounds track follicle development and size, while blood tests measure hormone levels to ensure a proper response. When follicles reach optimal size, a “trigger shot” of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is administered about 36 hours before retrieval. This injection helps eggs reach final maturation.
Egg retrieval is a minimally invasive outpatient surgery performed under light intravenous sedation, so the donor feels no pain. Guided by transvaginal ultrasound, a thin needle is inserted through the vaginal wall into each ovarian follicle. Mature eggs are then aspirated, or gently suctioned, and collected in test tubes. The entire procedure typically takes 10 to 30 minutes.
Legal Agreements and Compensation
Egg donation involves comprehensive legal agreements defining the relationship and responsibilities between the donor and the intended parents or agency. Key provisions typically include the donor’s relinquishment of all parental rights to any children conceived from the donated eggs, establishing the intended parents as the legal parents. Agreements also cover aspects like anonymity versus identity release, future contact, and disposition of any unused eggs or embryos.
Compensation is provided to egg donors for their time, effort, discomfort, and commitment required for the process, rather than for the eggs themselves. The average compensation for a single egg donation cycle typically ranges from $5,000 to $15,000. Donors are often reimbursed for associated expenses such as medical costs, travel, and sometimes lost wages or childcare during the donation period.
Risks and Recovery
While generally safe, egg donation carries potential medical risks and requires a recovery period. One notable risk is Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), which occurs in 1% to 5% of cases. Mild OHSS symptoms include abdominal bloating, nausea, and mild abdominal pain. In rare, more severe instances, OHSS can lead to rapid weight gain, intense abdominal pain, blood clots, or shortness of breath, potentially requiring hospitalization. Clinics closely monitor donors during stimulation to minimize this risk.
Other potential side effects during the stimulation phase can resemble premenstrual syndrome (PMS), such as headaches, moodiness, bloating, and breast tenderness, due to temporarily elevated hormone levels. After the egg retrieval procedure, donors commonly experience mild cramping, bloating, and light vaginal spotting or bleeding for a few days. Fatigue is also a common post-procedure symptom, often due to the sedation used. Serious complications from the retrieval, such as infection, significant bleeding, or damage to internal organs, are rare, occurring in less than 1% of cases. Most donors are able to resume their normal activities within a day or two after the retrieval, or by the time of their next menstrual period.