Considerations for Women to Make Before Egg Donation

Egg donation is a wonderful way to help men and women fulfill their dreams of becoming parents. Eligible donors are carefully screened and must meet stringent criteria to be a desirable candidate, including age, health, and other requirements. Apart from their physical health, the prospective egg donor also must be ready to undergo a complete screening process that takes about 6 weeks. Afterwards, the actual process of egg donation itself takes about 2 weeks.

While evaluating a prospective egg donor, the young woman undergoes a series of psychological screenings. These evaluations have multiple purposes. One, the psychological assessment is used to gather detailed family history, which many determine any diagnosed or undiagnosed mental illness in the family. These psychological screenings can also help determine the prospective egg donor’s motivation for her intended donation. While some women may be motivated by the compensation they can expect to receive for egg donation (about $6,000), most have a more selfless reason to donate their eggs and are genuinely moved by their ability to help families who experience infertility struggles.

The emotional impact of egg donation is also significant to consider, as a donor-conceived child may have no future contact with their biological mother unless there is a legal agreement between the donor and recipient. In most instances, though, the egg donor has no legal rights or responsibilities for the care of the donor-conceived child, meaning their biological child will be raised by parents who may have different values and parenting ideas.

If you have a significant other, you should discuss your intention to donate your eggs, as there are implications for them, as well, particularly if you have or intend to have children together in the future. You will also want to think about how you will inform your own loved ones about your donation and how they will react to it.

It is also essential to consider the legal considerations as an egg donor, even if the recipient is someone you know in real life. The recipient of your egg donation will likely retain a qualified attorney with experience in reproductive law supervising the donation agreement. Above all, you as the donor are not responsible for the child born because of your egg donation, and you owe the family no financial maintenance, either. You should have your own attorney review any contracts you have to sign, which will include a plan for any future contact (if any) between you, the donor, and the family that receives your egg donation.

By donating your eggs, you are doing an extraordinary, altruistic deed. Still, it does come with specific considerations about the time and emotional commitment you are willing to invest in doing so. At Palm Beach Fertility Center, we can guide you throughout the process to determine whether egg donation is the right choice for you.

To contact Palm Beach Fertility Center, please call (888) 819-5177 or book your appointment online today!