Are You Eligible? Understanding Egg Donor Qualifications

What do egg donation and puzzles have in common? You need to find a good fit! You may be thinking about donating your eggs but have become baffled by a seemingly infinite amount of contradictory information online on egg donor qualifications. What are the realistic requirements you need to meet? Do you need a college degree or even Ivy League education to be considered? Does your form of birth control matter? Do your lifestyle habits, physical features, and current health status jibe with the demands of egg donation? Do YOU fit what we are looking for? HERE, we’ll put this puzzle together for you! Find out if you would be an excellent candidate for our egg donor program by understanding our egg donor qualifications.

 

 

Why Are There So Many Requirements to Donate Eggs?

Like any puzzle, you need the full picture to come together! You may find at the end of the blog, that you only have one or two connected pieces, or even missing just one lone piece. Why are there so many requirements to meet? Egg donation is an extensive journey, all leading to a hopeful successful insemination and pregnancy. Through this, the safety of the donor, and the chances of a future child, are heavily considered when choosing donors.

We must ensure that:

• It is safe for the candidate to donate. (Egg retrieval is an elective procedure requiring sedation.)
• There are healthy eggs of enough quantity to promote pregnancy.
• There are no inheritable, serious genetic diseases passed to the potential child.
• There are no issues that will counteract necessary medications prior to retrieval.

 

 

Egg Donor Qualifications: The World Egg and Sperm Bank Edition!

It’s match making time! Below, we’ve laid out each essential puzzle piece of the completed egg donor puzzle, and what would make an acceptable and unacceptable candidate. Once you have reached the end, IF you feel as though you meet our key requirements, we strongly encourage you to apply to donate!

 

Match Question: What is your age?

An Acceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate is 18-31 years old. )Most of our donors are in their 20’s.)

An Unacceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate is someone who may not be quite 18 years old yet, or someone over the age of 31.

Egg donation is a serious and significant decision, so we require donors to legally be old enough to make independent decisions. Donors also must be within a certain age for their fertility, to ensure enough healthy eggs can be successfully retrieved.

 

Match Question: Where Do You Live?

An Acceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate lives somewhere in the United States or may even live in Canada! They can prove their residency with corresponding official government issued ID.

An Unacceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate lives in another country outside the United States.

 

Match Question: What Is Your Education?

An Acceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate has graduated from high school with a diploma or GED. They may be in college, already have their degree(s), or not having taken any higher education.

An Unacceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate is currently in high school or has never passed.

 

Match Question: How is Your Physical Health?

An Acceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate has a healthy Body Mass Index and has no serious physical diseases or conditions that are proven or potentially genetic in their family history.

An Unacceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate has a higher or lower BMI, and or has one or multiple serious physical disease(s) proven or potentially genetic in their family history.

While we wish more women could donate, BMI must be considered, as a higher or lower BMI can cause your body to not respond well to medications, and present complications with sedation. Potential serious genetic conditions must be considered for the health of the potential child.

 

Match Question: What are Your Lifestyle Habits?

An Acceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate does not engage in alcohol or drug abuse. They do not smoke cigarettes.

An Unacceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate participates in what is considered excessive drug, smoking, or alcohol abuse which has affected their health and their fertility.

 

Match Question: What Form of Birth Control Do You Take, If any?

An Acceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate is on the birth control patch, birth control pills, the IUD, or on no form at all!

An Unacceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate is on Depo-Provera, Implanon, or Nexplanon.

The exact form of birth control you’re currently on can negatively impact the process of egg donation! (skew hormonal results, interfere with your menstrual cycle, reduce fertility rates) HOWEVER, if you ever decide to stop any of the unaccepted forms, you can always reapply!)

 

Match Question: What is Your Mental Health Like?

An Acceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate is in a healthy and stable mental state. They feel mentally ready to become an egg donor. They do not feel the process will cause heavy stress, anxiety, or depression.

An Unacceptable Donor Candidate: This person is in an unpredictable or negative mental state. They want to become an egg donor but may show clear indications later from our psychological evaluation that one or multiple mental disorders or general mental state will deny them.

 

Match Question: What Amount of Free Time do you have? Are You a Committed Person?

An Acceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate has free time on their schedule to commit to the process and has effective time management.

An Unacceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate has a very busy schedule, and barely has time to juggle what they already have on their plate. They want to donate but are sure of themselves that the journey won’t be sought through at this time.

 

Match Question: What Are Your Motivations to Donate Eggs?

An Acceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate has one or multiple solid reasons as to why they want to donate their eggs (help someone else, learn about their fertility, learn about their genetics etc.)

An Unacceptable Donor Candidate: This candidate is feeling unsure and not ready to begin the process, but they still don’t want to miss out or forget about the opportunity. They may not have exactly figured out why they want to donate their eggs yet, and if it’s a worthwhile endeavor for them.

 

 

Have You Finished the Puzzle? Apply Today!

Now that you’ve learned our egg donor qualifications, start the process by taking our application!

 

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