By Frank Golden
Despite its growing popularity, I’ve noticed that many of our Intended Parents have questions about egg donation, and might even be confused by the process. I’m here to simplify it for you the best I can. When I was undergoing the egg donation process, I felt overwhelmed and, at times, frustrated by the ample amount of information, egg donor profiles, processes, everything that makes up a egg donation. As an agency owner and as a fellow Intended Parent, I feel that it is my responsibility to support other Intended Parents going through this process. I want to demystify the egg donation process and hopefully help other Intended Parents who are currently considering egg donation.
Primarily, every Intended Parent should know that, much like surrogates, egg donors must meet a certain list of requirements. Typically, egg donors are between the ages of 21-32; I’ve begun to notice, however, that many clinics and agencies cap out at age 28. Egg donors need to have a healthy BMI which typically means under 30. They must also have excellent reproductive health, must pass a psychological evaluation, and must be willing to take the necessary injectable medication. In egg donation, there is an emphasis on quantity and quality; the goal is to retrieve the highest quantity of quality eggs.