The Egg Donation Process with MyEggBank
How to Become an Egg Donor: A Step-by-Step Guide
MyEggBank is the premier network of donor egg banks and practices. Our top priority is to help people become parents, and part of the way we do that is by delivering excellent clinical care to our donors. We have also refined our donation process to prioritize your convenience.
We understand that becoming an egg donor is a life-changing decision. Our streamlined process ensures that every step – from application to retrieval – is convenient, rewarding, and supported by excellent care. Here’s an overview of what you can expect at every stage of the egg donation process.
Step 1: Egg Donor Application
Our egg donor application and screening process is designed to be efficient and thorough, taking as little as six weeks to complete. It ensures that we select healthy, committed women who are prepared for the rewarding experience of egg donation.
Short Egg Donor Application
To start the process of becoming a donor with MyEggBank, you first fill out a short registration form with basic information. All our donors must meet certain basic criteria to be considered:
- Age 21 to 31
- Weight and height within a healthy range
- Some education beyond high school
- A commitment to the appointments and testing required to become a donor
Upon submission of this short egg donor application, you will receive an email indicating whether you are selected to continue in the application process.
Next Steps: Secondary Donor Application
If you are approved to continue the process, you will be asked to fill out a more detailed egg donor application with your medical history, family history, personal essays, and photos. We understand some of these questions may be difficult to answer, but this form is crucial to helping us get to know you better.
Once you submit this application, you will receive a call or email from a member of the donor program team to let you know if you are approved to continue as a potential egg donor. A coordinator may also contact you to ask clarifying questions and help you complete the application. Once your application is reviewed and approved, you’ll move on to the screening process.
Step 2: Egg Donor Screening
If you are approved to continue, the donor team will schedule an appointment for you to come into the center for a medical and genetic screening. First, you will meet with a member of the donor team to confirm that you understand the donation process and are committed to completing it. Then, a nurse will take your blood to screen for infectious diseases, drug usage, and hormone levels. You will meet with a genetic counselor to walk through your family history. And finally, a doctor or other clinician will conduct a general physical, including a vaginal ultrasound, to assess your overall physical and reproductive health.
You may meet with a counselor at this appointment, or be scheduled for a follow-up visit, depending on your center. This meeting is to gauge your overall psychological stability and understanding of the donor commitment.
Within two weeks of your screening visit, you will find out whether you have been selected to become a donor. Unfortunately, the majority of applicants are not eligible to continue on and become donors. In many cases, this is for their own health and safety, as well as to comply with requirements for donors set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the American College of Genetics and Genomics (ACMG).
Step 3: Egg Donation Cycle
After completing your screening, you’ll decide whether to undergo a fresh or frozen egg donor cycle. Both fresh and frozen donor cycles involve taking fertility medications for approximately 10-14 days to stimulate egg production. During this time, you’ll visit the clinic for regular monitoring appointments, including ultrasounds and bloodwork, to ensure your body is responding well to the medications. The fertility team will provide clear instructions and support throughout the process to help you stay on track and feel confident.
Once your eggs are ready, you’ll undergo a monitored egg retrieval procedure performed under light sedation. This minimally invasive procedure typically takes less than 30 minutes, and most donors can resume their normal activities within a day or two. After the retrieval, your eggs will either be fertilized immediately (for fresh cycles) or frozen for future use (for frozen cycles). Donors are compensated promptly for their time and commitment, with many expressing pride in helping others build their families.
Is Egg Donation Right for You?
Many potential egg donors are drawn to donating because they want to help others build their families and receive a financial reward for their commitment. Beyond compensation, another benefit of egg donation is that you will receive a free, full medical report with the results of our testing to inform your own medical care and help you with future family planning. You are also eligible to receive a referral bonus if you refer a friend to the program who successfully completes a donation cycle.
Your Privacy During the Egg Donation Process
MyEggBank’s donation process is identity-restricted, meaning your identity will not be shared with the recipient of your eggs. Our donation centers do offer donors the option to have their identity disclosed to a child.
How to Become an Egg Donor FAQs
During preparation for egg retrieval, egg donors must inject themselves with fertility medications, which can cause discomfort for some individuals. However, fertility clinics often have resources and instructions to help make self-injection as pain-free as possible. The egg retrieval procedure itself is performed while the egg donor is under light sedation, which helps to eliminate pain and discomfort. After the procedure is completed, some egg donors experience mild cramping, similar to period cramps. These side effects should be manageable using OTC pain relievers (i.e., ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen) and/or a heating pad.
There are very few risks associated with donating your eggs, however, some egg donors experience what is known as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). In many cases, OHSS is mild and improves without the need for medical intervention, but more severe cases can require hospitalization. The symptoms of mild and moderate OHSS include abdominal pain/discomfort, abdominal bloating, ovarian tenderness, and gastrointestinal issues. Severe OHSS symptoms include rapid weight gain, intense abdominal pain, blood clotting, severe nausea, shortness of breath, and decreased urination.
If you experience any of these symptoms as an egg donor, no matter how mild, it’s important that you talk to a healthcare professional so that your symptoms can be monitored.
There are several factors that can disqualify you from becoming an egg donor. Not only must egg donors be in good physical condition, but they must also not have any reproductive health issues or genetic disorders. Candidates may also be disqualified from becoming egg donors if they take certain types of birth control (i.e. Depo-Provera injections, hormonal implants, etc.), are smokers, or are unable to commit to the egg donation schedule.
![]()
Get Started
If you are ready to become an egg donor, the first step is to begin an egg donor application.
