FAQs

Egg donation is a process in which a woman (the donor) provides her eggs to be used in assisted reproductive treatments (IVF), to help individuals or couples (intended parents) conceive a child.

Egg donors must be between 21-32 years old, in good general health, have no known genetic diseases, and not use any nicotine products. Donors must complete a series of applications, interviews, and screening to ensure that they are appropriate candidates for egg donation.

An in-depth look into the egg donation process can be found here.

Egg donation is generally considered safe, but like any medical procedure, it carries some risks. These risks can include side effects from hormone medications, discomfort from the egg retrieval procedure, and a small risk of infection or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).

Egg donation involves legal agreements that outline the rights and responsibilities of both the donor and the intended parents. These agreements cover issues such as compensation, confidentiality, and future contact with any resulting children.

The egg donation intake process typically takes 2-3 weeks. Once selected for a cycle, the cycle screening process takes approximately 2-3 months. The stimulation cycle itself is 10-14 days, with the retrieval occurring at the end of that stimulation cycle.

The egg retrieval procedure is a minimally invasive surgery performed under sedation. A thin needle is used to retrieve the eggs from the ovaries, guided by ultrasound imaging. The procedure usually takes about 15-20 minutes.

Per ASRM guidelines, donors may complete six cycles in their lifetime. After a donor completes a cycle, the medical team at Fertility Institute of San Diego will review the donor’s stimulation records and cycle outcome to determine if they will be invited back into the program for subsequent cycles.