Choosing the right egg donor sets the foundation for your in vitro fertilization (IVF) or surrogacy journey. After all, the egg and sperm you use directly impact your chances of success.
Egg donors must meet certain medical and lifestyle benchmarks to ensure the best possible outcome for all parties involved in the IVF process.
This article will break down everything you need to know about the requirements to be an egg donor. We'll cover the basic egg donation criteria, what disqualifies a donor, the screening process and more.
If you need help finding a reputable fertility clinic to create embryos and manage your IVF process, don't hesitate to reach out for assistance.
Egg Donor Requirements [Full Overview]
Before you begin searching for an egg donor, it’s important to understand what these requirements entail. Egg donation facilities have a set of criteria that every donor must meet to ensure healthy and viable eggs.
These guidelines are in place to protect both you and your future child. As you move forward in your search, these requirements should play a key role in your decision-making process.
Basic Egg Donor Criteria
Most egg donor facilities follow specific standards when evaluating potential donors. These four basic egg donor requirements are designed to ensure the highest chances of a successful pregnancy:
The egg donor age requirements are from 21 to 34. Women who meet this egg donor age limit have healthier eggs, leading to higher success rates for fertilization and embryo development. A donor’s BMI is a key factor because excess tissue can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb fertility drugs. Egg donors must be in good overall health. Medical issues, illnesses or other health concerns can not only pose risks to the donor but also to the health of any resulting embryos. Donors must not have any infectious or hereditary diseases. A clean medical history helps protect against complications during pregnancy and beyond.
Additional Egg Donor Qualifications
While the basic criteria cover general health, many egg donation facilities have additional qualifications to be an egg donor. These guidelines may vary slightly between facilities, but they all aim to ensure the highest quality eggs for your family-building journey.
Alcohol can negatively impact egg quality by leading to hormone imbalances and interfering with medications used for egg retrieval. Smoking introduces harmful chemicals like nicotine into the body that can reduce egg quality and damage ovarian health. Psychoactive drugs can disrupt a woman’s hormonal balance, which may affect ovulation and fertility. Many egg donation facilities require donors to have graduated high school. Others may require a college degree or describe their ideal donor as “well-educated.”
What Disqualifies an Egg Donor?
Even if a woman meets all of the above requirements, there are still some egg donor disqualifications. Here are four things that could affect egg donation:
Women with genetic conditions, infectious diseases and other medical concerns are ineligible to donate. Some forms of birth control can interfere with ovulation and hormone levels. If a woman has traveled to a Zika-affected country within the last six months, she may be ineligible to donate. Zika can affect an egg donor’s follicles and cause baby birth defects. Egg donation is a time-sensitive process. Donors must commit to attending multiple appointments throughout the cycle. If a donor cannot reliably attend all required visits, she may be disqualified.
If you haven’t experienced success with your own eggs, then a donor could improve your chances of success. Learn more about when it’s time to move on to donor eggs.
The Egg Donor Screening Process
Now that you know what the qualifications are to be an egg donor, you might wonder how the screening process works. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration outlines three screening requirements for egg donors to ensure that only healthy eggs are used in fertility treatments.
Here’s what the screening process typically includes:
This exam accounts for lifestyle factors, checks for infectious diseases and evaluates the donor’s fertility health. Egg donors must complete a detailed questionnaire so that doctors can review and verify their medical history. Donors are tested for infectious diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea to prevent the transmission of any illnesses.
ASRM Guidelines for Egg Donors
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) is a respected non-profit organization that establishes guidelines for clinical practices in assisted reproductive technologies. Alongside the FDA’s requirements, the ASRM recommends the following screenings for egg donors:
This evaluation helps ensure that the donor fully understands the emotional and psychological implications of her decision to donate eggs. Genetic testing screens for hereditary diseases and chromosomal abnormalities to protect against potential health issues. Egg donors are asked to provide detailed information about their family’s medical history to ensure the safety of their eggs. Egg donors must be tested, but the ASRM also recommends screening any sexually intimate partners for infectious diseases. A fertility lawyer will ensure that everyone’s rights and responsibilities are clearly outlined in a contract. This is especially important in a directed donation, where someone you know donates eggs.
Growing Your Family: Next Steps
Now that you know the egg donor requirements, you’re better equipped to make an informed decision for your family-building journey. If you want more guidance on choosing an egg donor or need help finding a fertility clinic, fill out our online contact form.