Egg donation process
Everything you need to know about the egg donation process, from your initial application and screening all the way through cycle medications and egg retrieval.
How to donate eggs, step by step
Here's how to donate eggs at Donor Nexus, from your application to your compensation. Use this as a quick overview, then read the full details on each step below, including how long it usually takes in our Frozen Egg Bank and Fresh Matching Program.
Apply online
Fill out our online egg donor application. You can check the egg donor requirements first to see whether you qualify.
Meet our team
If you're accepted, we'll set up a call to answer your questions and walk you through both programs.
Your donor profile goes live
We build your nonidentified profile from your photos and questionnaire so intended parents can get to know you.
Get matched (Fresh Matching Program)
Intended parents choose you, while Frozen Egg Bank donors skip this step and go straight to screening.
Complete your screening
Medical, genetic and psychological screening, which can take up to four months to complete.
Start birth control and your baseline visit
About 7 to 10 days of birth control pills, then a quick ultrasound and blood work before stimulation.
Medications and monitoring
About 10 to 12 days of small daily injections, with quick early-morning monitoring visits. Read more about egg donor medications.
Take your trigger shot
One final injection matures your eggs, and your retrieval is scheduled 32 to 36 hours later.
Egg retrieval
A 20 to 30 minute outpatient procedure under anesthesia. See what to expect during egg retrieval.
You set your own egg donor compensation, which is placed in escrow before your retrieval and released by ACH or wire transfer within 5 to 7 days after it. At Donor Nexus, we provide transparent information on every aspect of the egg donor process to ensure you know what to expect. If you have any additional questions, please contact our team and we will be happy to assist you.
How long does the egg donation process take?
The timeline varies depending on which program you choose. With our Frozen Egg Bank, cycles can be completed in as little as eight to twelve weeks from start to finish. A Fresh Matching Program cycle may take several months or longer due to the matching and screening period.
In both cases, the active portion of your cycle, including medications and monitoring appointments, is approximately three to four weeks.
Here is how long each stage takes in each program:
Step | Frozen Egg Bank | Fresh Matching Program |
|---|---|---|
Application and consultation | Online application, then an introductory call | Online application, then an introductory call |
Matching | No wait | Several months, sometimes over a year |
Screening | Starts after acceptance, up to 4 months | Starts after you are matched, up to 4 months |
Birth control pills | 7 to 10 days | 7 to 10 days |
Stimulation injections and monitoring | About 10 to 12 days | About 10 to 12 days |
Trigger shot to retrieval | 32 to 36 hours | 32 to 36 hours |
Retrieval | 20 to 30 minutes, at our partner clinic in Southern California | 20 to 30 minutes, at the intended parents' clinic |
Typical total | 8 to 12 weeks | Several months or longer |
For a walkthrough of how the two cycles differ, watch this short video from our team:
Most donors need only one full day off, for the retrieval itself, and can return to work or school the next day. Monitoring visits during injections are short early-morning appointments about every other day, usually between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m., plus travel days if your retrieval is at the intended parents' clinic in another city.
Egg donation process for donors, step by step
Step 1: Application
The first step of the egg donation process is to complete our online egg donor application. Before you apply, you can check whether you qualify on our egg donor requirements page.
Step 2: Consultation
If you are accepted into our egg donation programs, we will be in touch to schedule an introduction phone call, video meeting, or in-person meeting.
During this meeting, we can answer any questions you have about the process and discuss the options that we have available for egg donors.
Fresh Matching Program: You will wait to be matched with one set of intended parents, who will receive all retrieved eggs.
Frozen Egg Bank: You do not need to wait to be matched with intended parents. You will complete your cycle and the retrieved eggs will be added to our egg bank and have the potential to be disbursed to 3-4 sets of intended parents.
Learn more about the differences here: Fresh Matching Program vs. Frozen Egg Bank
Step 3: Profile added to database
Next, we will create a nonidentified* egg donor profile and upload it onto our online database for prospective intended parents to review. Your egg donor profile will include your photos and responses from your questionnaire. Please note that all identifiable information will be removed from your profile, such as your full name, birth date, home address, etc.
*Please note that although our team adheres to the highest standards to maintain donor and recipient confidentiality when facilitating a nonidentified egg donation cycle, with advancements in commercial genetic testing, we counsel our egg donors and intended parents to understand that we cannot guarantee permanent anonymity in the future.
Step 4: Selection by intended parents (Fresh Matching Program only)
This step only applies to our Fresh Matching Program. If donating to our Frozen Egg Bank, you can immediately begin the screening process (Step 5) upon being accepted into the program.
We do not have an exact timeframe of how long it will take for you to be matched. It could be several months or over a year. We are committed to ensuring the match is right for both parties.
When intended parents come to Donor Nexus, we help them find an egg donor based on the characteristics they are looking for. Usually, it is characteristics similar to the intended mother, such as ethnicity, hair color, eye color, etc. Our password-protected online donor database is accessible to any user who creates a free account.
On occasion, we may contact you for additional information not listed on your profile if an intended parent has shown interest and has questions. For instance, the intended parent(s) may want additional photos of you as a child, want to know more about your family, or have questions about something that you wrote about on your profile.
Upon selection, we will contact you to share the good news!
Step 5: Screening process
For our Fresh Matching Program, this will typically be completed at the intended parent’s designated fertility clinic on days 1, 2, or 3 of your next menstrual cycle. However, depending on the intended parent's clinic, they may allow you to be seen at a clinic local to you for some of your appointments.
For our Frozen Egg Bank, this appointment will take place at a fertility clinic local to you. If you are local to Southern California, you will be seen at HRC Fertility in Newport Beach, California.
The medical evaluation includes a transvaginal ultrasound, extensive blood work, a physical, and injection training so that you will know how to inject your medication when the time comes.
The screening process can take up to four months to complete.
Step 6: Baseline appointment
Once you have been medically cleared and completed all your prescreening evaluations, you are ready to begin your cycle!Typically, you can expect to begin taking birth control pills 7-10 days before beginning stimulation medications. Taking birth control pills has been shown to help the follicles (egg-containing structures) grow at a similar rate which leads to a greater number of mature eggs retrieved.Next, you will have a baseline appointment for another quick round of blood work and a transvaginal ultrasound. During this appointment, your doctor will make sure your ovaries are "quiet" and your hormone levels are low. Once given the green light by the doctor, you will be ready to start taking stimulation medications.Once we are ready to proceed with the cycle, your clinic coordinator will provide you with cycle dates and a medication instruction sheet. You will also receive a shipment of medications and needles for the injections. Your clinic coordinator will schedule an in-person appointment or phone call to do injection teaching. You may also watch instructional videos via Freedom MedTeach.
Step 7: Cycle medications and monitoring
Next, you will begin your cycle medications which are prescribed by your physician based on your medical evaluations and hormone levels. Most egg donors will take a combination of medications including FSH (Gonal-F or Follistim), LH (Menopur), and an antagonist (Ganirelix or Cetrotide). The stimulation medications are taken once a day via self-injection in the lower abdomen area, for about 10-12 days.
While taking medications, you will have monitoring appointments at your designated fertility clinic about every other day between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. The appointments are brief and consist of a transvaginal ultrasound and a blood draw to determine how you are responding to the stimulation medications. The doctor will view the results of the transvaginal ultrasound and blood work and determine whether you need to change the amount of stimulation medication you are on.
This is a very crucial part of the process. Appointments must be completed at a certain time of the day so we can receive same-day results to ensure your medicine protocol is at a safe dose for you. You are responsible for scheduling your appointments ahead of time and arriving at your appointments on time.
Important Notice: Please know egg donors are unable to smoke/drink while taking cycle medications because it diminishes egg quality. Egg donors will also need to abstain from sexual intercourse while on medications to avoid pregnancy and STDS, and will also be checked periodically throughout their cycle to ensure they are not taking any illegal substances. If a donor tests positive for any of the above, it is an automatic disqualification.
Step 8: Trigger shot
Toward the end of the stimulation phase, when your hormones have reached the appropriate level, the doctor will instruct you to take your final injection, called the trigger shot. The trigger shot will be Lupron/Leuprolide, hCG, or a combination of the two. This gets your ovaries ready for your egg retrieval procedure. The day after you trigger, you will have a blood test to make sure the trigger shot worked. This is called an “LH test".
Step 9: Egg retrieval
About 32-36 hours after you give yourself the trigger shot, it will be time for your egg retrieval procedure.
The egg retrieval itself only takes about 20-30 minutes and is done as an outpatient procedure under monitored anesthesia care to keep you comfortable. You will be given a detailed explanation of the process from your nurse when you arrive. You are closely monitored by both your physician and anesthesiologist throughout the procedure. In our Fresh Matching Program, your egg retrieval will be done at the intended parent's designated fertility clinic. In our Frozen Egg Bank, your egg retrieval will take place at HRC Fertility in Newport Beach, California.
How the egg retrieval surgery/procedure works:
Using ultrasound guidance, a thin needle is inserted through the vaginal wall to reach the ovaries. The eggs are gently suctioned out through the needle into a tube. As stated above, the procedure itself is very quick (only about 20 minutes) and you will be awake and ready to go home about an hour after the procedure.
If your cycle is out of state, you can bring a companion with you so you are not alone during and after your procedure. If you are unable to find a companion, a nurse will be hired for you. In both programs, we will cover all travel expenses for you and your companion.
Recovery: We recommend that you take it easy for the rest of the day following your egg retrieval. It's common for donors to experience mild cramping and/or bloating for about a week following retrieval as the ovaries settle down. Within a day or two following the retrieval, you should be back to normal activity with no restrictions. Most donors return to work/school the following day.
Step 10: Compensation
Within 5 – 7 days of completing the egg retrieval, your egg donor compensation and reimbursement will be released from escrow and transferred via ACH/wire transfer.
Ready to take the first step?
We hope this overview has given you a clear picture of what to expect as an egg donor at Donor Nexus. If you feel confident in your decision about donating eggs, apply online today and our team will be in touch to walk you through the next steps. If you still have questions, explore our resources below or reach out directly. We are always happy to help.
Disclaimer: Egg donation involves a screening process and not all potential egg donors are selected and not all selected egg donors receive the compensation amount advertised. As with any medical procedure, there may be a risk associated with egg donation. First, an egg donor must agree to begin the process and sign a legally binding contract. The donor is required to receive specific information on the known risk. Consultation with your doctor before entering into an egg donor contract is advised. [Ca. Health & Safety Code 125325(a)] In addition, a summary of the egg retrieval procedure must be given to the egg donor before there is a binding contract. [Ca. Health Code 125325(b)].
Apply to our egg donation programs
To get started, fill out an online application and we’ll reach out to discuss next steps. Have questions first? We are happy to chat.
Egg donation process FAQ
Common questions about the egg donation process, medications, side effects, and what to expect during your active cycle. If you have a question that is not covered here, reach out and our team will be happy to help.
Screening can take up to four months, depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle and how quickly appointments line up. Once you're medically cleared, the active part of your cycle, from birth control pills through stimulation injections and your retrieval, takes about three to four weeks, and the injections themselves usually last about 10 to 12 days. In our Frozen Egg Bank, screening starts as soon as you're accepted, so many donors finish in 8 to 12 weeks, while in our Fresh Matching Program it starts after intended parents select you, which can take several months or longer. If you've donated before, some screening steps may be skipped, which shortens the timeline.
Yes. Depending on the type of birth control you use, your physician may switch you to a specific pill for your cycle, so just let us know what you're currently taking and we'll help you sort out the next steps.
It can feel a little backwards to start birth control when the goal is to grow eggs, so this is one of the questions we hear most often. Taking the pill for about 7 to 10 days before stimulation quiets your ovaries and helps your follicles start growing at the same pace, which usually means more mature eggs at your retrieval. Timing matters during this stretch, so try to take your pill at the same time every day, because a late or missed dose can let your body start growing a dominant follicle or a cyst (sometimes called a flare-up), and that can push your cycle back. Many donors set a daily phone alarm to make it easy. If you ever miss a pill or take one late, don't worry: call your clinic coordinator or your Donor Nexus case manager, and we'll help you figure out what to do next.
After a short course of birth control pills, most donors take a combination of FSH (Gonal-F or Follistim), LH (Menopur) and an antagonist (Ganirelix or Cetrotide), followed by a trigger shot at the end of stimulation. Your physician sets the exact protocol based on your screening results and hormone levels and may adjust your doses after monitoring visits. You give the injections yourself in your lower abdomen with a small needle about the size of an insulin needle, and your clinic will teach you how before you start. Our guide to egg donor medications explains what each one does and why it's part of your protocol.
Once your medications arrive, your clinic coordinator will schedule an injection training session in person or by phone, and you'll have the chance to ask questions until you feel comfortable. Instructional videos are also available through Freedom MedTeach if you'd like to watch ahead of time, and your Donor Nexus case manager is always a text or call away if something doesn't feel right during your cycle.
When monitoring shows your follicles are ready, your doctor will have you take one final injection called the trigger shot, which is Lupron (leuprolide), hCG or a combination of the two. It starts the last stage of egg maturation and sets the timing for your retrieval about 32 to 36 hours later, so your clinic will give you an exact time to take it. The day after your trigger shot, you'll have a quick blood test to confirm it worked. Our trigger shot guide covers how it works and how to time it.
About 32 to 36 hours after your trigger shot, you'll come in for your retrieval. The procedure takes about 20 to 30 minutes and is done under monitored anesthesia care, so you'll be comfortable and won't feel the procedure itself, and your physician and anesthesiologist are with you the whole time. In our Fresh Matching Program, your retrieval takes place at the intended parents' fertility clinic, and in our Frozen Egg Bank it takes place at HRC Fertility in Newport Beach. Most donors feel well enough to return to normal activities the next day. For a closer look, read our guides to the egg retrieval procedure and recovery after egg retrieval.
Most side effects are mild and temporary. During the injections, many donors notice symptoms similar to PMS, such as headaches, nausea, mood swings or abdominal tenderness, and toward the end of your cycle you may feel bloated and see some bruising at your injection sites. After the retrieval, mild cramping, slight vaginal soreness and light spotting are common and usually ease within a few days, and you'll go home with post-op instructions to help you stay comfortable. Most donors feel fully back to normal after their first period following the retrieval, though everyone responds a little differently. Our guides to egg donation side effects and bloating after egg retrieval go into more detail.
The retrieval itself isn't painful because you're under anesthesia for the whole procedure. The daily injections and the bloating near the end of stimulation can be uncomfortable, and some cramping afterward is normal as your ovaries settle down, but most donors don't describe the experience as painful. We break down what donors feel at each step in Is Egg Donation Painful?, and our donor stories let you hear about it from women who have been through it.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) happens when the ovaries over-respond to the stimulation medications. Moderate or severe OHSS is reported in roughly 1% to 5% of IVF cycles, and using a Lupron (GnRH agonist) trigger lowers that risk (ASRM Practice Committee, Fertility and Sterility, 2024), which is one reason your physician watches your hormone levels and follicle count so closely at every monitoring visit. Mild cases usually feel like stronger bloating, abdominal discomfort or nausea and settle on their own, but call your clinic right away if you have severe abdominal pain, rapid weight gain, vomiting or trouble breathing. Getting enough sleep, eating well with plenty of protein and skipping strenuous exercise during your cycle all help you feel your best.
Current research doesn't show that donating eggs harms your ability to have children later. The medications help your body mature a group of eggs that would otherwise have been lost during that month's cycle, so donating doesn't use up your future egg supply. In a follow-up of past egg donors at a Belgian fertility center, 57 of the 60 donors who later tried to get pregnant conceived without fertility treatment (Stoop et al., Fertility and Sterility, 2012). Long-term studies of donors are still growing, and we walk through what is known so far in Can You Still Have Kids After Donating Eggs?
Based on current research, the medications used in egg donation have not been shown to meaningfully raise cancer risk. The largest long-term study on breast cancer followed more than 25,000 women in the Netherlands for a median of 21 years and found that women who went through IVF stimulation had no higher breast cancer risk than women with fertility problems who did not (van den Belt-Dusebout et al., JAMA, 2016). For ovarian cancer, a 2019 Cochrane review of 37 studies found only very low-certainty evidence of a possible slight increase among women treated for infertility, a group that differs from young, healthy egg donors in important ways (Rizzuto et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2019). Most of this research followed IVF patients, and long-term studies of egg donors themselves are still limited, which is one reason your screening includes a careful look at your personal and family health history. If you have specific concerns, your physician is the best person to talk them through with you.
