Egg Donor Requirements and Qualifications

Do you have the necessary qualifications to be an egg donor? Learn everything you need to know about egg donation requirements, the matching process and more—we have the lived and professional experience to support you.

Donating Eggs: Requirements & Application Process

The egg donation journey begins with an application, interview and eventual matching process. You will only be able to proceed if you meet all of the requirements to donate eggs. These qualifications for an egg donor were developed for your protection, as well as your intended parents’ and the coming baby.

Once it’s confirmed that you meet our egg donation requirements, you can expect a process that takes around 12-16 weeks and involves several steps. These steps include medical screening and monitoring, penning a legal contract and undergoing an egg retrieval procedure. All donors will be reimbursed for any related expenses, and US donors will also receive financial compensation for their time and contribution to another family.

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What are the Requirements to Donate Eggs?

The first steps of our matching process happen online. Once our team selects you as a qualified egg donor, your profile will then be added to our donor database. This secure database is available online 24/7 only to registered intended parents. When a family selects your profile, we will contact you so you can all speak or meet for the first time.

To join our database, you must meet the following egg donor requirements:

  • You want to help another family.

  • You are considered physically healthy.

  • You are between the ages of 18 and 29.

  • Your BMI is above 19 and less than 30.

  • You don’t smoke, vape or use recreational drugs. (However, once you’ve quit smoking for over two months, you may still be eligible!)

  • You are not currently using Depo Provera

  • You have no history of genetically transmitted diseases, any STDs over the past year and no history of HIV/AIDS.

  • You are not currently breastfeeding. (You are welcome to apply once the baby is weaned!)

Potential applicants should consider what is required beyond the legal egg donor qualifications. The egg donation process, while rewarding, takes several months and involves many steps. If you are selected to be a donor, you will be expected to:

  • Undertake extensive psychological and medical screening

  • Take daily injections to prepare your eggs for retrieval and implantation
  • Attend several mandatory medical monitoring appointments
  • Undergo an outpatient procedure
  • Folow any doctor’s orders to avoid physical activity in the days leading up to retrieval

  • Abstain from certain activities, like drinking alcohol, having heterosexual intercourse, or intense exercise, during particular periods of your donation cycle

BMI Requirements for Egg Donation

We are often asked about the BMI requirements for egg donation. BMI (Body Mass Index) is a weight measurement system that works in proportion to your height. In the US, the egg donor requirements for BMI are between 19 and 29.

We understand that weight and BMI can be a sensitive topic. This rule is not meant to body shame! The BMI requirements for egg donation are about health and safety, not appearances. This rule is in place to protect the health of the potential donor. In candidates with a BMI outside of the “average” range, the preparatory medications needed for retrieval can trigger conditions like Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome. An especially high or low BMI can also affect a potential donor’s fertility or egg quality.

If you don’t know if your height and weight stats align with egg donor requirements, you can ask your doctor to calculate your BMI for you. It’s also possible to do this online with a digital BMI calculator.

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Understanding Egg Donation Age Requirements

It is required across the country that donors be between the ages of 18 and 30. This rule, like the rest of the requirements, was designed to protect you, your intended parents and the baby. Anybody under the age of 18 is legally too young to become a donor, as people under the age of 18 cannot enter into a contract. While many women over 30 produce plenty of healthy euploid eggs, there can be a reduction in quality at this age. This is why qualified egg donors are typically in their 20s.

Like many qualifications for an egg donor, this age range was not determined by Extraordinary Conceptions. Instead, it is a national guideline that every egg donation agency in the US must adhere to, determined by ASRM or the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Honesty is the Best Policy!

We know how disappointing it feels to not meet all the necessary egg donor requirements. However, we need you to be completely honest with us throughout your application and interview processes. It’s what our intended parents deserve!

Please be upfront about your medical history, medications and personal habits like smoking, even if this might possibly disqualify you. If you match with a family, and further screening shows that you’ve given misleading information, we will be unable to compensate for travel and medical costs.

On a similar note, we urge you to always adhere to your doctors’ requests and advice throughout the entire process. For example, whilst taking Lupron, you will be asked to abstain from heterosexual intercourse to avoid accidental pregnancy. If you then accidentally become pregnant whilst on Lupron, your egg donation cycle will be canceled.

Woman consulting about egg donation with a healthcare professional
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Let’s Get Started!

If you meet all of our egg donor requirements, you can apply to become one today! We offer support and guidance to all donors, and our benefits packages are the best in the country.

After you’ve applied, someone from our team will reach out to you to complete your profile. In the meantime, if you need any help navigating this process, we are here to answer your questions and address any concerns unique to your situation. At Extraordinary Conceptions, we’re experts on everything egg donation-related, and we’re happy to share our knowledge and passion with you! We’ve helped countless donors, surrogates, and families make their dreams come true since 2005. Now, we’re honored to become a part of this exciting journey with you.

Read About Becoming an Egg Donor From Women Like You!

Take a look at what some of our own surrogates have said about their experience with Extraordinary Conceptions:

“I just wanted to thank you guys for working so hard with us to make this happen! I feel so grateful being able to help such an awesome couple.”
Ashley

“Any “difficult” parts of the pregnancy were immediately erased the moment I saw the look on my Intended Parents’ faces. It was pure joy for all of us!”

Jennifer
“Extraordinary Conceptions really made the process of surrogacy a wonderful one. Always making me feel comfortable and being there to answer every single question. Thank you for introducing me to my intended parents and letting me help make their dreams come true.”
Natalie
“Seeing the parents hold their baby for the first time was the best part of my journey and I knew immediately that I wanted to do this again”
Karen

We’re Honored to be Part of Your Journey!

Apply to become an Egg Donor with Extraordinary Conceptions today, and someone from our team will be in touch with you very shortly. We are honored and excited to help you take the steps to making a family’s dreams come true.

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