Becoming an egg donor is a wonderful opportunity to help someone achieve their dream of having a family. While there are some egg donor requirements that must be met, they are all designed to ensure the success and safety of the procedure.
Egg Donor Requirements with Donor Nexus
Are you wondering if you are qualified to become an egg donor? On this page, you will find a detailed overview of egg donation requirements with Donor Nexus. In addition to the eligibility criteria, we also share some other considerations to make sure that you are fully prepared – both mentally and physically – for what will be required of you as an egg donor.
What Are the Requirements to Donate Eggs?
Since recipients (intended parents) will be using your eggs in hopes of achieving a healthy pregnancy, it is required that you are in optimal health before beginning a cycle. The general health requirements for egg donors are:
- Healthy woman between the ages of 19-29
- Since fertility (along with egg quality) declines with age, women in this age bracket tend to produce more successful IVF cycles for families.
- No major hereditary or genetic illnesses
- In addition to providing family health history on your application, you will also undergo a series of medical screening tests prior to beginning a cycle.
- Healthy BMI
- Your body mass index (BMI) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. BMI provides us a general insight of your overall health, therefore, having a healthy BMI for egg donation is an important requirement. To be an egg donor, you must be in the normal BMI range, which is between 18.5 - 24.9. For an estimate of your BMI, you can use an online calculator.
- Non-smoker
- Smoking cigarettes has been linked with decreased fertility and overall health.
Lifestyle Requirements to Donate Eggs
Being an egg donor is a serious commitment which requires dedication and commitment. If you meet all the above egg donor qualifications, the next step is to evaluate whether donating your eggs is a good fit with your current lifestyle. Considerations for this include:
- Are you willing to refrain from caffeine, alcohol, and any other substances throughout the duration of your egg donation cycle?
- Are you willing to remain abstinent during your cycle?
- Are you willing to travel for your cycle?
- Do you have reliable transportation?
- Are you able to arrive to screening and monitoring appointments on time?
- Are you willing to dedicate yourself to the process, making it your #1 priority for the duration of the cycle?
- Are you willing to self-administer injections into your abdomen for the duration of your medications? (Approximately 12 days)
In some cases, egg donors may have to travel for monitoring appointments or for their egg retrieval procedure. The travel requirements depend on which program you are participating in, your location, and the location of the intended parent(s) if participating in a one-on-one cycle.
As a chosen egg donor, you will undergo the egg donor screening process, which consists of medical and psychological evaluations, including:
Approximately 1 in 4 candidates will be “screened out” during this process. Visit our Egg Donor Screening page for more detailed information.
Egg donation can be an emotional experience, and it is important for donors to be mentally prepared for the process. Donors should be emotionally stable and able to handle the physical and emotional demands of the procedure. Donors should also be willing to undergo psychological counseling to ensure that they are mentally prepared for the process.
If you meet the requirements and are interested in becoming an egg donor, we encourage you to fill out our preliminary egg donor application. If you’re interested in exploring this opportunity further, we have many resources available for you on our blog:
For any additional questions, our team of experienced egg donor advocates are always here to help!
