Am I Eligible To Donate My Eggs?
Find out if you can become an egg donor
Many young adults are interested in becoming egg donors, but unsure if they meet all the criteria. While each fertility center or agency is a little different, many of the requirements for egg donors are determined by professional societies and the FDA, and are the same across clinics. Here’s a list of some of the basic requirements, to help you determine if you can donate your eggs.
Physical and Mental Health Requirements
The goal of egg donation is to provide healthy, viable eggs to help build a family, so of course anyone who wants to become an egg donor must meet certain health standards. These conditions are pretty straightforward, starting with age. Donors must:
Be between 21-29 years old. The quality and quantity of eggs decreases significantly in a person’s 30s, while people younger than 21 might not be able to fully make decisions about their fertility, so 21-29 provides the best window of personal maturity and reproductive health.
Have a BMI (Body Mass Index) between 19 and 29 (calculate your BMI here). Your BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. While BMI does not, by itself, determine a person’s health, it does have a big effect on medication dosages and safety under anesthesia, which are both part of the donation process.
Pass a series of physical and mental health evaluations, which will screen for personal and family health concerns, as well as ensure that you are fully informed and mentally prepared to donate your eggs. Before you apply, make sure you know what health issues your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have experienced.
Willing to stop any hormonal birth control methods if accepted.
Not use any drugs, tobacco, or nicotine products, including vape pens or e-cigarettes
Legal Requirements
To be considered as an egg donor, you need to have a US Social Security Number and be eligible to work in the US. You also must pass a criminal background check.
When you sign a consent to be an egg donor, you should know that you relinquish all rights and responsibilities to the eggs and resulting children.
Behavioral and Lifestyle Commitments
Becoming an egg donor is a wonderful, generous gift to give a family. It is also a complicated medical process that takes several weeks and involves different medications, tests, and procedures, all on a specific timeline. Because of the complexity involved, to be a donor you must be able to:
Attend a series of appointments scheduled by your fertility clinic: a standard egg donation process requires up to 10 appointments at varying intervals, so you may need to take time off from work or school. For the most part, the appointments will not need any recovery time (with the exception of the actual egg retrieval process, where you may want to take the next day off to rest). You may need to take time off to travel as well.
Abstain from sexual intercourse during the donation process, to prevent any sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy while your ovaries are stimulated to produce eggs.
Have a stable work and home life, as recommended by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Stress has a huge effect on your health, and it’s important that you are safe, secure, and supported during this process. If your relationship, marriage, home or work situation is unstable or significantly stressful, then it is not the right time to become an egg donor.
Other Factors To Consider For Donation
While these are the basic requirements necessary to apply to be an egg donor, there are some other factors to consider that may apply to you:
Many intended parents look for some level of higher education in a donor, whether that’s a trade certification, a four-year degree, or even current enrollment in an educational establishment, so that’s definitely a plus.
Part of the donation process involves daily hormone injections, which are self-administered at home. If you have a strong phobia of needles, you might find this very challenging. Likewise, if vaginal exams and ultrasounds are very uncomfortable for you, the egg donation process will be difficult.
Being in a relationship is not a requirement to donate your eggs. If you do have a partner or spouse, though, they should be aware and supportive of your decision to donate.
Reach Out To SIMPLIFY With Any Questions
Donating your eggs is a big decision, and we want you to be fully comfortable with the requirements. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and we’ll be happy to discuss the process with you. Or, if you meet all the criteria and are ready to move forward, apply to be an egg donor today!