Becoming an egg donor is a selfless and miraculous journey, and while it is an extensive process, it is one that creates a miracle for aspiring families either struggling with infertility or are in some way unable to conceive on their own. At The World Egg and Sperm Bank, you will be cared for and informed each step of the way throughout the process and through retrieval. Read on to learn how to become an egg donor with us and help hopeful families!
What is an Egg Donor?
An egg donor is a person that matches the qualifying age guidelines, with fertile eggs in which they donate to an egg bank, that are afterwards to a recipient, which will use those eggs to conceive an intended child. These eggs can either be donated as fresh eggs, or frozen eggs, which are stored for future use.
What Requirements Do You Need to Meet to Become an Egg Donor?
Before starting the egg donation process, it’s helpful to understand the general qualifications that an egg bank has, to get a glimpse of whether you may be a good fit to donate. Most egg banking facilities have extensive and strict requirements, but this is only for the safety of the donors in mind as well as the health and quality of the eggs. For example, at The World Egg and Sperm Bank, egg donors need to be:
- Between the ages of 18-31
- Must hold a permanent residency in either the United States or Canada along with corresponding official Government issued ID.
- Must be a non-smoker.
- No alcohol and/or drug abuse and addition.
- Healthy overall body mass index (BMI)
- Have full and accurate knowledge of medical and genetic history of family members up to biological grandparents.
How to Become an Egg Donor
To become an egg donor, you will go through several steps which will include the initial application, medical and psychological screening, stimulation and monitoring, and the actual egg retrieval as well as recovery. Each step has its own timeframe, but it is well worth it for the long-term benefits. See below to learn how to become an egg donor!
Step 1 – Apply
Our application can be completed online, on the go, or at home on our website. On average the application takes 30-40 minutes to complete and acts as a pre-screening process to make sure you meet our preliminary qualifications before screening can begin.
After you have been approved to donate, you will schedule a meeting and meet with one of our friendly donor representatives via Zoom for a donor interview, where they will go through the entire process on how to become an egg donor in-depth, and answer any questions you may have before we continue in the process. This is an informative and open interview, so don’t feel nervous or hesitant to ask whatever is on your mind!
Step 2- Screening
The screening process will include various preliminary screening items to ensure you are physically and mentally healthy and prepared to donate, including:
- Genetic testing
- Evaluation by a psychological counselor
- STD Screenings
- Ultrasounds
Step 3- Stimulation and Monitoring
Before you can officially become an egg donor, hormone injections in your abdomen through small, subcutaneous needles will be used to stimulate your ovaries to mature the eggs that will be retrieved. These injections will increase the production of estrogen in your body to make this happen and will last 10-14 days.
Step 4- Egg Retrieval
Egg retrieval is an elective procedure that usually takes less than a half-hour from start to finish. You will be under twilight sedation so you will not feel any discomfort or pain during the procedure and will likely not remember anything.
Step 5- After Egg Retrieval
Even though at this point you have already donated your eggs, proper rest and recovery is still an essential step after egg donation. For 1-2 days, you may feel symptoms similar to your average period symptoms, such as:
- Bloating
- Cramps
- Fatigue
We recommend that all egg donors take the day off after the egg retrieval process to rest and relax before returning to normal activities and anything more than light activity.
How Long will it Take to Become an Egg Donor?
In total, for first time egg donors, the entire egg donation journey will take 2-4 months from start to finish. Choosing the right timing for you to start this journey is very important, as it is a gradual process that will take time but is more than worthwhile for giving the gift of parenthood.
For all subsequent donations, the process will be quicker and easier, as you will have already completed the necessary screening to become an egg donor and can start the stimulation and monitoring phase sooner!
Become an Egg Donor Today!
Now that you know how to become an egg donor, take the leap and start our application today!
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