Egg donation is a complex subject. There’s a lot of science involved, legal and ethical considerations to cover, and a fair bit of emotional complexity to navigate. It’s probably why there are so many myths floating around out there about what egg donation actually is, how it all works, and what it’s all about. Misinformation is common and confusion is normal! That’s why everyone at Bright Expectations is committed to being a source of clear, accurate information about donating your eggs. We’re always around to answer your questions, but today we thought we’d ask you a few. How much do you actually know about egg donation?

1. Question: When you donate your eggs, how many eggs are retrieved?

This is one of the most common questions we get: many young women are worried about how many eggs they might lose in the egg donation process. So what do you think? (Spoiler alert: it’s more than one. But how many more?)

Answer: In an average egg donation cycle, you’ll donate between 15 and 20 eggs. That’s about the number of potential eggs your ovaries start to mature each month, although in a natural cycle, only one usually makes it all the way to ovulation. When you donate your eggs, the fertility medications you take help your body bring all of those potential eggs to maturity. You won’t donate any more eggs than you would have lost anyway in a normal ovulation cycle!

2. Question: Which of these is a potential side effect you might experience from egg donation?

There are some intense myths out there about what donating your eggs is like and what kinds of side effects donors might encounter. So let’s get real. Which side effect could happen?

Answer: The most common side effects that egg donors report are mild PMS-like symptoms such as bloating, slight moodiness, or headaches. You can read more about the potential side effects of egg donation here. Most importantly, egg donation does not impact your future fertility. In fact, successfully donating eggs is a great sign that your body is working perfectly and that when you’re ready to have kids all systems should be go. When you donate your eggs, you get access to valuable test results and information about your own fertility that can come in handy in the future. Also, we promise you won’t have bushier eyebrows or bigger ears by the end.

3. Question: How much are egg donors paid?

Egg donation isn’t about the money, but we think it’s healthy and honest to talk openly about what fair compensation looks like. After all, egg donors doing something spectacular to help strangers have a beloved baby, and committing their time, effort, and courage to the process. So how much do you think a Bright Expectations donor receives for a successful egg donation cycle?

Answer: Donating your eggs is a priceless act of generosity, but we firmly believe that donors should be fairly compensated for everything they bring to the process. Our egg donors receive between $8000 and $10000 per donation.

4. Question: Why do young women decide to donate their eggs?

Egg donation is a big decision, and one which requires courage, dedication, and maturity. It also requires encountering an above-average number of needles. So why would anyone do it?

Answer: Women who choose to donate their eggs tend to do so because they want to offer a selfless gift to families who cannot have babies without their help. While generous compensation can make a big difference for a young egg donor just starting out, money alone isn’t enough to motivate most young women. Also, egg donation isn’t about having kids yourself. It is a totally anonymous and confidential process, so egg donors have no relationship to or responsibility for any children who might result from their donation. And while egg donation is a fascinating experience, we’ve never met anyone who donated just because they were bored!

5. Question: How many times can you donate your eggs?

If you donate your eggs and decide you want to do it again, can you? How many times in total?

Answer: Current guidelines recommend that a woman can donate eggs up to a total of 6 times. After giving your body a little time to recover, you can go back into the registry to be matched again. You’ll just need to be cleared medically before each donation. Our hope is that every young woman who chooses to donate eggs with Bright Expectations will have such a positive experience that she’ll want to come back again.

6. Question: How long does it take to donate eggs?

Is donating your eggs a long, drawn-out process that means you’ll have to miss a load of school or work? Is it a quick in-and-you’re-out thing? Somewhere in between? What do you think?

Answer: Once you’ve matched with intended parents, the whole process takes between 2 and 3 months, including screening. But of that time, there are only about 2 weeks where you’ll be on medications and visiting the clinic regularly for appointments. Then you’ll have the egg retrieval, a quick procedure that takes about 20 minutes (although you’ll be at the clinic for a few hours and should take the rest of the day off.) After that, you’re done!

So how did you do? If you got most or all of them right, we’re super impressed! If you struggled, don’t feel bad: like we said, understanding egg donation can be a challenge at first. Hopefully, this Q & A helped clear some things up. If you’d like to learn even more, get in touch. We’re always happy to talk to potential donors to help them decide whether egg donation might be right for them. If you think you’re ready to get started, yay! You can apply right here!