Egg Donor Requirements

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)

Travel Requirements for Egg Donors

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.

See below for general travel requirements for one-on-one donations vs. egg banking:

  • If you are participating in a one-on-one donation, you will be required to travel to the intended parent(s) designated fertility clinic. All travel expenses will be covered by Donor Nexus. While most of our intended parents are located throughout the US, we do work with intended parents worldwide.
  • If you are participating in a frozen egg banking cycle for the Donor Nexus Egg Bank (DNEB), you must be willing to travel to Newport Beach, California for the egg retrieval. 

 

Egg Donor Screening Requirements

As a chosen egg donor, you will undergo the egg donor screening process, which consists of medical and psychological evaluations, including:

  • Ovarian Reserve Testing: looks at several factors to determine whether you will be a good candidate for egg donation.
  • State Mandated Infectious Disease Screening & STI Testing: screening for HIV 1 and 2, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HTLV 1 and 2, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea as well as other health screening labs. 
  • Genetic Carrier Panel: to identify egg donors that may have an increased risk for genetic diseases.
  • Drug Screening: testing for drug use

 

Approximately 1 in 4 candidates will be “screened out” during this process. Visit our Egg Donor Screening page for more detailed information. 

Emotional Requirements for Egg Donors

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.

Start Your Journey Today

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!

Get in Touch

We are always here to answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to start your journey!