Egg Donation

Many women are unable to conceive using their own eggs. Most commonly, their inability is due to age; as women enter their late 30s and early 40s, they experience a significant decline in the function of their ovaries, generally causing a sharp decrease in egg quality. Other women may have different challenges in use of their own eggs, such as a high risk of passing on life-threatening genetic diseases.

For these women, using eggs donated by other women is often the only reliable way they can become mothers of healthy children. The primary benefit to a woman who donates eggs is the knowledge that she has helped another woman achieve pregnancy.

Becoming an egg donor takes time and commitment. In many ways, a donor becomes a medical patient herself, as she must undergo medical procedures. In return, donors are usually compensated several thousand dollars for their effort and time taken from work or other commitments.

Egg donation follows many of the steps of the IVF process. It is complicated by a variety of factors, including the relative inaccessibility of donors, the difficulty of freezing eggs, and the need to synchronize the menstrual cycles of the donor and the recipient.

Egg donors must be healthy and within a specific age range (usually between the ages of 21 and 32). Most fertility clinics, including REACH, follow standards and criteria of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

    •    Anonymous Donors - Many donors opt to remain anonymous. An anonymous donor gives her eggs to an infertile woman or couple whose identity also remains anonymous to the donor. The donor also receives some compensation for her effort, discomfort and time away from work, school or other obligations. Anonymous donors are matched as closely as possible to the physical and other criteria specified by the prospective recipient.

    •    Known Donors - In some cases, the egg donor is a sister, friend, or relative of the recipient. Some recipients recruit donors on their own.