When a woman makes the decision to donate eggs, the first step is to go to an assisted reproduction center or an egg bank. There, they will inform the potential donor about the whole process and resolve any doubts she may have. In addition, the woman will undergo medical and psychological tests to ensure that she is suitable to be an egg donor.
Once the candidate is accepted as a donor, the entire procedure for the actual egg donation will begin. Since this is a medical process, it is important that the donor has confidence in the chosen assisted reproduction center and its team.
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Where to go to donate eggs?
The main thing when choosing a center to go to for egg donation is that it complies with all legal requirements and is authorized to perform this type of procedure.
Therefore, assisted reproduction centers usually display this information on their website, as well as other official recognitions they may have. However, the woman should not hesitate to consult directly with the clinic on this issue if she has any doubts.
In addition, egg donation is, by law, "a free, formal and confidential contract concluded between the donor and the authorized center". It is important to ensure that the center guarantees confidentiality regarding the identity of the donor. In this way, the anonymous nature of the donation is respected.
Finally, attention should be paid to other aspects such as facilities, services offered and medical equipment. However, the confidence and peace of mind that the center and its staff convey to the potential egg donor is also a fundamental factor.
First visit to the center
A woman who decides to become an egg donor must have information regarding the entire process. Thus, the woman will be able to learn about what egg donation involves and its possible risks. Therefore, when a donor candidate contacts an assisted reproduction clinic or an oocyte bank, she is scheduled for an initial information visit.
During this visit, the entire egg donation procedure is explained to the potential donor without obligation and all her doubts are clarified.
This step is essential, because it allows the woman to make an informed decision about whether or not she wants to be an egg donor. In addition, the woman will be able to check if the chosen center and the medical team give her security, confidence and peace of mind.
On the other hand, during the first visit, the center conducts a complete interview with the woman to learn about her personal and family background. This interview serves the clinic as a first filter to evaluate if the woman meets certain requirements to be an egg donor.
Second visit to the center
In the event that the interview conducted in the first informative visit is favorable, and if the woman voluntarily decides to go ahead with the egg donation process, a second visit will be scheduled.
On this occasion, the potential donor will undergo a gynecological evaluation and an ultrasound scan in which, among other things, the ovarian reserve will be evaluated. In addition, a psychological interview with a psychologist from the center often takes place during this visit.
Finally, the egg donor candidate will be asked to undergo blood tests. These analytics will be used to:
- Assess hormonal status.
- Determine blood type and Rh factor.
- Perform karyotyping.
- Ruling out certain infectious and inherited genetic diseases. Many clinics now perform a recessive genetic disease test known as a genetic compatibility test.
All these tests are necessary, free of charge and, with the results, the donor will have a lot of information that can be useful for her reproductive future.
However, such a thorough study may also mean that the woman will not be accepted as an egg donor. The reason is that, to ensure the quality and safety of the donation, the donor must meet certain requirements, many of which are evaluated with these tests.
This means that a woman will only be accepted as an egg donor if she meets all the requirements and passes each and every medical and psychological test.
To read more about the requirements to become an egg donor, you can access the following article: What are the requirements for egg donation?
Start of treatment
Once the woman is accepted as an egg donor, ovarian stimulation can begin. At this point, the donor must have previously ensured that a totally personalized and controlled stimulation protocol will be followed. This will avoid possible risks such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
Finally, at the time of the follicular puncture to obtain the oocytes, the donor must be calm. The procedure is simple, of short duration and is performed under sedation so as not to cause pain.
Does financial compensation vary between clinics?
First of all, it is important to clarify that egg donation is an altruistic act and, as the law states:
The donation shall never be of a lucrative or commercial nature. The financial compensation that may be set may only strictly compensate the physical inconvenience and the travel and work expenses that may be derived from the donation and may not represent an economic incentive for the donation.
Thus, financial compensation to the egg donor should not be understood as a payment for the donated eggs. As its name indicates, it is only a compensation for the inconvenience caused to the donor and, therefore, it should be similar in all clinics.
Currently, the economic compensation for egg donation in Spain ranges between 800 and 1000€.
You can read more information about the financial compensation for egg donors in this link: What Is The Financial Compensation For Donating Eggs?
FAQs from users
What is the financial compensation received by egg donors?
Egg donation must be an altruistic act and, of course, voluntary, between the donor and the medical center, without the intervention of the recipient of the oocytes at any time.
What this law does allow is that the donor receives financial compensation for the many inconveniences she will suffer, among which are the costs of travel to the clinic, the loss of working hours, and of course the physical discomfort caused by ovarian stimulation and follicular puncture. Most centers opt for an amount of 7.000€ - 10.000€ for egg donors.
What steps should a woman follow before donating eggs?
Before donating eggs, the first thing to do is to become well informed about the process, the implications, and the legislation in the respective country.
There are laws that state that the donation must be altruistic, anonymous and that women must be between 18 and 35 years old. In some other countries such as the U.S., however, egg donors are eligible for economic compensation.
Potential egg donor candidates must follow four main steps:
- Physical and psychological screenings.
- Ovarian stimulation.
- Ovum pick-up.
- Control ultrasound.
How long does the egg donation process take?
The total time it can take for an egg donor to be accepted and to go through the whole process depends a little on the time needed to do the medical tests and interviews with the specialists, i.e. the first part of the procedure.
Once the donor has been accepted, the ovarian stimulation takes about 12-14 days until the follicular puncture is performed. This is how long the donor will have to be injecting the hormone medication daily.
How many times can eggs be donated?
According to the Spanish Law on Assisted Reproduction, a woman can donate eggs as many times as she wants until she obtains, by means of these eggs, 6 live newborns in Spain. These include the donor's own children.
Suggested for you
If you are interested in learning more about the steps involved in egg donation, we recommend you to visit this link: How is egg donation done step by step?
On the other hand, if you are interested in knowing the risks of egg donation, you can read the following article: Risks and consequences of egg donation in egg donors.
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References
Jayaprakasan K, Herbert M, Moody E, Stewart JA, Murdoch AP. Estimating the risks of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS): implications for egg donation for research. Hum Fertil (Camb). 2007 Sep;10(3):183-7. (View)
Klein J, Sauer MV. Oocyte donation. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2002 Jun;16(3):277-91. doi: 10.1053/beog.2002.0288. (View)
Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Practice Committee for the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. Electronic address: ASRM@asrm.org. Guidance regarding gamete and embryo donation. Fertil Steril. 2021 Jun;115(6):1395-1410. (View)
Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and Practice Committee of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. Electronic address: asrm@asrm.org. Repetitive oocyte donation: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2020 Jun;113(6):1150-1153. (View)
Thaldar D. Egg donors' motivations, experiences, and opinions: A survey of egg donors in South Africa. PLoS One. 2020 Jan 15;15(1):e0226603. (View)
FAQs from users: 'What is the financial compensation received by egg donors?', 'What steps should a woman follow before donating eggs?', 'How long does the egg donation process take?' and 'How many times can eggs be donated?'.
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