About Egg Donors
Egg donors are usually classified as either known donors or anonymous donors.
- Known egg donation uses eggs donated by a specific person: a sister, relative, or friend.
- Anonymous egg donation uses eggs donated anonymously from young women recruited specifically for egg donation or from women undergoing an IVF cycle who are willing to donate excess eggs. Donors are compensated for each completed cycle. Anonymous egg donors, whose identity remains unknown to the recipient, are recruited and screened by Fertility Specialists Medical Group to donate their eggs to couples in need.
Before donors are accepted into the program, they undergo various medical and psychological evaluations. We screen all egg donors according to guidelines recommended by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Potential donors must be non-smokers between the ages of 19 and 32. Candidates fill out a medical questionnaire reviewing their medical, family history, and social habits, all of which are reviewed by us to determine their acceptability and ascertain potential risk for significant medical or genetic disorders.
The potential donor and her partner (if applicable) are then invited to meet with us to learn about the need for donor eggs, to review the process, and to discuss the emotional, psychosocial, ethical, and legal issues that pertain to egg donation. It is important to evaluate the donor’s well-being and level of comfort to cope with the process of being a donor. Counseling allows the donor to explore the effect her donation may have not only on herself, but on the recipient and the potential child as well.
If the egg donor feels comfortable with the process, she will undergo various tests to assure good medical health. These tests include:
- Screening for sexually transmitted diseases
- Urine drug testing
- Screening for Cystic Fibrosis (plus additional genetic screening if indicated)
- Complete physical examination
- Psychological evaluation
Once a donor has been selected, the donor will undergo additional testing, such as a pelvic ultrasound, ovarian function tests, hormone testing to assess our ability to recruit eggs, and the FDA-required infectious disease screening and testing. The FDA regulates all donated tissue in the U.S., which includes human gametes (sperm and eggs), as well as other organs such as kidneys, eyes, and blood. These requirements for donation (to non-sexually intimate partners) are strictly adhered to, and must be followed in order to protect patients from unnecessary exposure to disease.
