Southern California Reproductive Center partners with Bright Expectations Egg Donation Agency to match high-quality egg donors with intended parents across the U.S.
When you’re first looking for information about the egg donor process, you want the facts, not a wall of text full of medical jargon. Here’s a short guide to egg donation, with everything you need to know before you take the next step:
Who are egg donors?
Many donors are young working women or students who have decided to help those who are unable to get pregnant for various reasons. Egg donors traditionally remain anonymous unless both parties—donors and intended parents—consent to a relationship.
Why donate your eggs?
So why should you consider donating your eggs in the first place? If you haven’t given it much thought before, it might sound like kind of a strange thing to do. Having watched the process and the outcome many times, we can think of a few amazing reasons:
- Empathy and generosity play a huge role for many donors. There are several situations where a prospective family might require donated eggs. Some have been struggling with the pain and loss of infertility for a long time, and have discovered that their own eggs won’t work for IVF. Others have a genetic issue in their family that they worry about passing on to a baby who shares their DNA. Many LGBT families require donated eggs in order to grow their family. For many egg donors, knowing that they are part of making a family’s most cherished dream come true offers huge personal satisfaction.
- Going through the egg donor process is also a valuable way to get information about your own fertility, and that’s an empowering thing at any age. The screening tests and education you’ll receive along the way provide a solid foundation for your future plans.
- The financial rewards of donating eggs are significant, especially at this time of your life, when student loans and the expenses of “adulting” begin to loom large on the horizon. Egg donation can be an incredible way to give yourself a leg up financially, all while giving a priceless gift to a deserving family. Donors often use their compensation to pursue their professional and personal goals—from completing their education to starting a business, building a savings account, traveling, and more.
How does egg donation work?
Becoming an egg donor is minimally time-consuming and requires approximately 6 to 8 doctor appointments throughout the entire process. Most of these appointments can be arranged around your schedule, and typically take place in the morning. We cover all expenses, including any travel necessary for yourself and a companion. And we’re 100% committed to giving you all the information and education you need to make an informed choice. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that your experience is a comfortable and positive one!
Want more info? Download your guide to the egg donation process.
The egg donor process:
Step-by-step, our process is designed to make sure that you are informed, comfortable, and both physically and psychologically prepared to be an egg donor. Remember, you can always ask questions if something isn’t clear or if you have a concern at any point! You’re the one in control.
Step 1: matching
After completing the application, you are matched with intended parents. Different families look for different things, but often they are interested in a donor whose physical characteristics and personality profile match their own. Most egg donations are anonymous, so there will usually be no contact between you and the waiting family. Your confidentiality and privacy, now and in the future, is assured.
Step 2: screening
Once you’ve been matched, you will be scheduled for a medical screening and psychological evaluation at an SCRC location. You can bring someone with you to your appointments for company if you like. We will run some tests, including blood tests and scans, to check that you are in good health and that your body will respond to the fertility medications safely and well. You’ll also talk to someone about your thoughts and feelings around egg donation, to make sure you understand all the details of the egg donation process and are feeling good about everything before you begin.
Step 3: donor contact
Once you’ve been medically cleared, we’ll introduce you to an attorney who will assist and support you in reviewing your donor contract. This is where we make sure that you’ve given your full consent, and also ensure that you don’t have to worry about any legal issues in the future. Compensation will be arranged: typically, you will receive part of the compensation once you begin taking fertility medication, and the rest within five business days of completing the egg retrieval.
Step 4: ovarian stimulation and the egg retrieval
The clinic will provide you with a calendar outlining the medical protocol for the egg donation process and information on egg retrieval. This will include a schedule of fertility medication based around your menstrual cycle, which will stimulate your ovaries to produce more eggs. It will also let you know when to expect the egg retrieval process, which is a short procedure performed at the clinic under sedation.
Once retrieval has taken place, our staff will follow up to ensure you are recovering well. Your commitment to the process is complete! For families who have been longing for a baby of their own for years, your donation offers new hope and the potential for life-long happiness they would never otherwise have. Knowing that is an incredible feeling, and one you can be proud of for the rest of your life.