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Here at Rescripted, we’ve shared a few stories about parents who’ve turned to egg donation to grow their families — from major celebrities to moms who’ve shared their journeys in their own words. Of course, egg donation is impossible without the donors themselves, and if you’re interested in helping families make their greatest dreams come true, egg donation is an incredible way to do this.
Donating eggs can be such a rewarding experience for so many reasons. Maybe you’re interested in helping couples struggling with infertility. Maybe you know someone personally who needs donor eggs to get pregnant. Maybe you’d like to give gay couples the chance to become parents.
Or maybe you’re just starting to think about going through the egg donation process and are hoping to learn more — about the process itself and whom you can help along the way. No matter what your end goal is, the first step to becoming an egg donor is looking through the requirements to see if you’re a candidate.
There are some common misconceptions about egg donation. For example, there’s this idea that someone can “sell their eggs” to make quick money. Egg donors *are* compensated for the time and effort they take on, but not for the eggs themselves — that would be illegal.
Something else many people don’t realize about egg donation? Not everyone is eligible. Becoming an egg donor requires meeting a list of requirements and undergoing a screening process.
So, what exactly do these requirements include? Fairfax EggBank, one of the leaders in the egg donation space, thanks to their use of advanced technologies, LGBTQ+-friendly stance, and strong commitment to donor quality, lays them out. Spoiler alert: They’re super straightforward.
Interested in seeing if you meet the requirements? Here’s a rundown.
First things first: Let’s get into *why* these requirements exist
“Fairfax EggBank’s Egg Donor Requirements were created to ensure the health and safety of all our donors while meeting FDA and ASRM guidelines,” says Debbie Villafaña, Co-President of Fairfax EggBank.
“At Fairfax EggBank, our donors’ safety comes first,” adds Lawrence Udoff, MD, FACOG, Medical Director at Fairfax EggBank. “We are physicians, nurses, and medical professionals who got into the practice of medicine to help people. Our purpose is to act as the donor’s advocate. We look out for our donors and want them to leave with a positive experience.”
Age is a major factor
We all know that age and egg quality are intimately linked, with quality declining as we age. That’s why prospective egg donors need to be between the ages of 19 and 30 to qualify.
Fairfax EggBank finds that 19 is the minimum age for someone to take on the responsibility of egg donation. While 30 is the upper limit for first-time donors (since egg quality begins to decline in a woman’s 30s), donors can donate again up until their 33rd birthdays if they continue to meet all other criteria.
Weight matters as well
Having a BMI between 18 and 26 is another requirement. Evidence indicates that people with BMIs outside of that range are at higher risk for medical complications.
Medical history is another important element
One thing you may notice is that smokers are precluded from egg donation since even occasional smoking and vaping can affect egg quality.
There are other health-related qualifications donors need to meet as well: You need to have two functioning ovaries since the number of eggs someone will produce with a single ovary is significantly lower.
Donors can’t be pregnant or breastfeeding due to the medications used during the retrieval process. Once you’re at least five months postpartum (and no longer breastfeeding), and have resumed normal menstrual cycles, your eligibility can be restored.
Conditions like endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) also preclude someone from donating eggs. This is because of the lower likelihood of a successful egg donation cycle and a higher risk of medical complications.
You need to access and supply medical records
To qualify as an egg donor, you’re required to supply three generations' worth of family medical history. This gives intended parents all the necessary genetic information about their donor-conceived child. This medical information also helps boost the chances of conceiving a healthy baby for the intended parents.
There’s an education requirement as well
It makes sense that details of your physical health matter when it comes to egg donor requirements — after all, this is a medical process. But you may be surprised to learn that to qualify as an egg donor, you must also have at least a high school diploma or the equivalent.
This requirement exists because many intended parents seek out donors with this type of education.
Fairfax EggBank also believes this level of education gives prospective donors the knowledge they need to understand and consent to every step of the egg donation process.
Willingness and ability to undergo the medical process of egg donation are included in the requirements
To qualify, prospective donors need to commit to the process of donating eggs for five months, as it takes about 2-3 months for screening and 1-2 months for each egg retrieval cycle.
Speaking of the process, we won’t lie to you: It will involve a few shots. You’ll have to self-inject medication during the egg donation process (don’t worry, though — you’ll barely feel a pinch).
You can take the injections in the comfort of your own home, but you will have to step into a fertility clinic for several in-person appointments throughout your donor cycle. You should expect to attend about three to six in-office appointments throughout one donor cycle, so living within two hours of a partnering satellite clinic (or signing up for Fairfax’ Egg Donor Travel Program) is required.
So what exactly does the process involve?
It may sound like a lot of information and a ton of moving parts, but the benefit of signing on with an agency like Fairfax EggBank is that you’ll work with a team that walks you through every step, from signing on to becoming a donor to completing your cycle.
Villafaña provides a rundown of what that cycle looks like:
“Fairfax EggBank donors go through approximately 8-12 days of appointments and medication before their eggs are ready for retrieval,” says Villafaña. “Egg retrieval is a quick 15-minute outpatient procedure that takes place at one of our partnering fertility centers. You’ll be under twilight sedation, asleep but breathing on your own. Once you’re comfortably asleep, a reproductive endocrinologist will retrieve your eggs using a vaginal needle and ultrasound guidance. Most of our donors resume normal activity the next day with minimal to no side effects”
What real egg donors have to say
Understanding the logistics of the egg donation process is important, but you probably also want to think about the type of experience you’ll have before, during, and after your donor cycle.
Fairfax EggBank’s testimonials can give you a better sense of howreal egg donors feel. One donor, who was inspired to look into egg donation when her best friend learned she wouldn’t be able to conceive on her own, has done multiple donation cycles (at the time of her testimonial, she was gearing up for cycle five!). Another raves about how thorough, yet supportive and kind, the team at Fairfax is. And while the process itself will only take a few months (unless, of course, you decide to undergo multiple donation cycles!), the reward of helping people build real families will last a lifetime.
Interested in becoming an egg donor? Checking out the full, comprehensive list of requirements is your first step. Then, if you meet all criteria, you can fill out an application!
Zara Hanawalt is a freelance journalist and mom of twins. She's written for outlets like Parents, MarieClaire, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Motherly, and many others. In her (admittedly limited!) free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, trying new restaurants, and traveling with her family.