Egg Donation: For Donors

Contact Us »

donors-sample2

Donor Information

Thank you for your interest in helping infertile families through egg donation. A Perfect Match, Inc. (APM) works with individual families who have medical conditions leading to infertility, as well as with same-sex couples and individuals who can’t create their family without the help of a kind and generous egg donor.

It is true egg donation may be financially beneficial for a donor, but our donors say their greatest reward comes from knowing they made a difference in someone’s life by giving of themselves in such a personal way. The gift you offer is beyond measure—and for our part, we commit to doing everything we can to make this a positive experience for the donor and her intended parents. We value each of our egg donors and are thankful to have the opportunity to work with such outstanding women.

APM is not a medical facility, tax advisor, or law office, so our information is based on our experience as an agency only. We provide the following information in order to help potential egg donors understand the general processes and procedures a woman might anticipate throughout the egg donation process, but each donor cycle is unique based on the IVF center. Each IVF center provides its own medical protocol for the egg donation cycle, as well as instructions for the medical process; therefore, the processes, screenings, medications, and retrieval procedures will vary depending on the IVF center. The information below is a summary only and is not to be relied upon by any donor as complete or accurate, nor is it medical, tax, or legal advice.

The Rewards

  • Give the Gift of Life
    Help create or expand a family that could not exist without the effort and kindness of an egg donor.
  • Financial
    Earn compensation that can be used to help finance educational goals, pay off debt, travel or help achieve other personal goals.
  • Understanding
    Donors learn more about their own fertility and genetics through the medical screening process.
  1. Recruitment
  2. Qualifying
  3. Initial Screening
  4. Full Screening
  5. Compensation
  6. Legal
  7. Egg Retrieval
  8. Communication
  9. Consent Forms

tab images ed ip recruitment

Get Started »
Have Questions »

An Incredible Journey

Egg donors find the egg donation process to be an incredible journey filled with ups and downs, but in the end there is the satisfaction of knowing that one person—the donor—made an amazing difference in the lives of others. The goal of the APM staff is to make a donor’s journey as enjoyable and fulfilling as possible. We know the time and effort it takes to be an egg donor, and we treat all our donors with the care and the respect they deserve. An egg donation cycle requires a strong commitment. Everyone counts on the egg donor complying with each step of the process.


What the California Health & Safety Code requires

California Health and Safety Code #125325 requires all persons or entities that egg donors to provide very specific language to those prospective donors. Following is that language:

Egg donation involves a screening process. Not all potential egg donors are selected. Not all selected egg donors receive the monetary amounts or compensation advertised. As with any medical procedure, there may be risks associated with human egg donation. Before an egg donor agrees to begin the egg donation process, and signs a legally binding contract, she is required to receive specific information on the known risks of egg donation. Consultation with your doctor prior to entering into an egg donor contract is advised.

tab images ed ip Qualifying

Get Started »
Have Questions »

Qualifying characteristics for APM’s egg donors

  • Between the ages of 19 and 29 (some exceptions may be made)
  • Must be living a healthy lifestyle
  • Must not smoke
  • Must not drink in excess
  • Must not take illegal drugs or prescription medications not prescribed to her. (This would include legalized marijuana)
  • Must not have a history of substance abuse
  • Must not have a criminal record
  • Must have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 26 or below
  • Must take precautions to protect herself from pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, but must not be using an IUD with hormones, or the Depo-Provera shot that is intended for extended time of stopping a donor’s menstrual cycle (all these will interfere with the ability to cycle
  • Must not take, or must be willing to stop taking with physician’s approval, any antidepressant drug
  • Must know extended family’s medical history
  • Must not be a carrier of genetic diseases that can cause harm to a child
  • Must not receive a piercing or tattoo within 6 months to 12 months time prior to donation
  • Must not have traveled to a ZIKV zone within the past 6 months or have a sexual partner who traveled to a ZIKV zone within the past 6 months. Visit CDC Site
  • Must meet the FDA’s requirements for tissue donation Visit FDA Site
  • Some exceptions may be allowed, so please let us know if you don’t meet all the above requirements



tab images ed ip Initial Screening

Get Started »
Have Questions »

Initial determination of eligibility for APM’s egg donation program

APM does its own initial in-house agency assessment to ensure that a woman meets our basic recruitment standards. As a part of this initial assessment with APM, candidates will be asked to answer a group of questions that are about basic health as well as others that are mandated by FDA. Most egg donors will qualify at this stage but if she is matched with a family, the IVF center will require additional questions or specific tests (under the FDA or IVF center guidelines) to further qualify her as an egg donor. In any case, a donor’s final eligibility is always determined by the FDA eligibility standards and by the IVF center chosen by the intended parents.

No amount of money is worth risking a less than optimal outcome for the donor, but especially for the resulting child created through egg donation. A donor must be completely honest with all her answers on the profile and genetic questionnaire because people are depending on her honesty when making their decision about working with her to be their donor. And more importantly, a child’s well being depends on the donor’s honesty.

The IVF physician will determine which medication protocol the donor will use, as well as which tests they will require for medical and genetic screening in order to ensure that the donor and the resulting child will have the best opportunity for a successful outcome. Any information withheld from the donor’s profile provided through APM and/or from the IVF physician’s questionnaire may have a very serious and negative effect on the child—and the withholding of information may also constitute a breach of contract. So it is always best to be honest, even if it means someone may not be chosen to be an egg donor.

A Perfect Match requires the following to be considered as a donor candidate:

  • Initial Paperwork - All donor candidates will receive an information packet from APM, including forms to complete. While we require a few documents be returned to us at this stage, it is only the Initial Questionnaire (also known as a Mini Profile) that is used to evaluate a woman’s initial eligibility for our program. If the candidate meets the basic standards for donation through APM’s program and most IVF centers, she will be invited to complete and submit our full application.
  • Detailed Profile - The answers provided on this form will determine the likelihood of acceptance into our program, a match with an intended parent, and acceptance by an IVF center for egg retrieval. The profile consists of questions that tell us more about the candidate, who she is, her family history, her dreams and aspirations. Non-identifying information is shared with our intended parents, who will select a donor based on their personal needs, interests, ethnicity, and culture. This is the time when a donor can provide the best view of who she is as a person, so thoughtful answers are most appreciated.
  • Genetic Questionnaire - The genetic questionnaire includes questions about the health history of both donor and her extended family. This medical and genetic information helps an IVF center or genetic counselor determine any medical or genetic testing that may be required, and which—when combined with the intended parent’s genetic information— ensures there are no complications in the combined histories of donor and intended parents that could cause a medical or genetic issue for a child created through donation.
  • Documentation - Once a donor passes our initial screening she will be asked to provide further documentation and proof of her identity and to verify some information on her profile. APM requires a scanned copy of a donor’s driver’s license, school ID, and passport, as well as official academic transcripts and official SAT/ACT scores, if applicable.
  • Online Database - Although we may show a profile and photos to intended parents on an individual basis while we wait for all verifications and identification, we generally show our egg donors to intended parents through APM’s private online database. Donor’s online profile will not contain her name, address, phone number, or other similarly identifying details. In order for intended parents to receive access to the database they are required to fill out a confidentiality agreement agreeing to keep information private. We also change the global passkey for intended parents on a quarterly basis and remove inactive users monthly. A donor is contacted when a family expresses interest in working with her.

A Perfect Match does not provide medical services or give medical advice; does not provide genetic services or give genetic advice and does not provide psychological services or give psychological advice. Donors are expected to discuss all medical or genetic questions and concerns with their primary IVF physician.

Egg Donors For Donors Screening

Get Started »
Have Questions »

Full Screening of Donor

Once matched with an intended parent, all APM egg donors come under the care of an IVF center which determines how donors are medically, psychologically, and genetically screened. All donors must pass a number of tests required by the IVF Center and mandated by the FDA, and state where the retrieval is to take place. Because our egg donors and intended parents are located throughout the country, and because each IVF center has its own protocol for egg donor screening, a donor may be required to travel to the location of the IVF clinic chosen by the intended parents for all screenings. The primary IVF physician, however, may allow some or all of the FDA or genetic screening tests to be performed at a location that is closer to the donor’s home and requires less travel. The IVF physician alone determines which tests are required, and they will make arrangements to have an outside monitoring center complete the screening tests. The following are typical screenings performed by an IVF center.

  • Genetic Screening - This screening is ordered by the IVF center in order to identify individuals who are carriers of genetically transmitted diseases. Not all IVF centers require donors to meet with a genetic counselor, but the practice is becoming the standard in the industry, and APM always recommends this to our intended parents even if their IVF center doesn’t require it. After a genetic consult is completed (if it is) then the IVF center will do extensive testing of the donor to look for genetic issues that can affect the donor or be potentially passed down to any of her resulting offspring.

    The genetic counselor will create a pedigree of the donor’s family tree, which is also valuable information for a donor’s own family planning. It is now common for an extensive genetic panel to be completed with a simple blood draw by a company specializing in genetic testing (like Counsyl or Good Start). Such companies can test for hundreds of genetic traits, including cystic fibrosis, fragile X, spinal muscular atrophy, and many other traits based on egg donor and intended parent ethnicity (like sickle cell anemia or the Jewish panel). If test results point to a need for additional tests, the IVF physician or the genetic counselor will contact the donor to make recommendations or to arrange for additional testing. Some of the genetic tests may take up to 30 days to get results—and IVF centers will not begin medications for the egg donor until all test results are finalized. Donors will receive a copy of the test results and be able to speak with the IVF physician or genetic counselor about the results.
  • Psychological Screening - This screening detects psychological issues, as well as ensures that egg donors fully understand the long-term and emotional aspects of donation. A face-to-face meeting with the psychologist (in person or via Skype) is required, and a PAI, MMPI, or similar personality assessment is administered during the screening. Once the donor is psychologically cleared she can commence a cycle.

    A mental health professional conducts the interview, scores the testing, and generates a written assessment of the donor’s understanding of possible long-term personal effects of egg donation, and of the donor’s psychological suitability for a donor cycle. This clearance report is submitted to the IVF center and APM. Intended parents, donors and the agency are not entitled to see the actual test results, but may speak with the mental health professional if they have concerns. Psychological clearance is generally accepted for only one year after which time the egg donor must be reevaluated if she wants to continue egg donation.
  • Medical Screening - This screening is performed by either the primary IVF center or a monitoring physician approved by the primary IVF physician. A donor completes a thorough medical history for the primary IVF physician and—based on that history—certain tests may be added to her screening, including a complete blood panel, thyroid testing, ultrasounds and hormone testing. Such screening ensures that an egg donor has healthy ovaries and is physically capable of undergoing the egg donation process.
  • FDA Screening - As mandated by IVF physicians and regulated by the FDA, tests for transmissible diseases—including STDs—are administered (HIV, HTLV-1 & 2, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, etc.). An ultrasound and vaginal cultures are also required. Furthermore, the sexual partner of an egg donor may also be screened for sexually transmitted infections. Other medical tests include a drug, nicotine, and alcohol screening—and perhaps a hair follicle test, which reveals drug usage during the previous three to six months.

Only after the medical, psychological, FDA and genetic screening are completed will a donor’s eligibility be determined and finalized by the intended parents’ IVF center.

Egg Donors For Donors Compensation

Get Started »
Have Questions »

Compensation

ASRM guidelines no longer recommend or require a $10,000 maximum donor payment for egg retrieval compensation. APM, however, strongly encourages its donors to request compensation that realistically reflects the time and effort required of the donor to do an egg donation—and that includes a level of altruism.

APM does not set donor compensation, but we will discuss with a donor if we feel her compensation exceeds an amount that is reasonable for her time and effort, or for her experience as a donor. While the requested compensation amount is never set by APM, donors are asked to give us a range of compensation that would be acceptable to her based on the locality of the cycle—that is, does travel require minutes, hours, or days? APM will notify a donor of any offer from a family, even if the offered amount differs from her stated preferred range. Donors may accept, reject, or negotiate any terms of the offer. APM never penalizes a donor for not accepting the offered compensation. Once a final compensation has been agreed upon between donor and the intended parents that fee will become part of the financial package and language in a legal agreement.

Legal

Get Started »
Have Questions »

The Legal Process

APM is not a legal entity and we can’t give legal advice. We do, however, insist that every donor have separate legal counsel before she undergoes an egg retrieval. We believe that a donor should not sign any type of agreement or IVF consent form without a lawyer’s advice. We believe it is unethical to expect an egg donor to sign away any rights without understanding what this may mean for her in the long term. APM will help egg donors engage an attorney - the fee being paid by the intended parents.

  • Donor Documents - Once an egg donor is matched with intended parents, APM creates an agreement called Egg Donor Travel Benefits. This document sets forth the egg donor’s compensation and travel benefits related to a local or traveling cycle.

    Once a donor signs this agreement, she cannot change the terms of the match, including the agreed upon compensation—but it also means that the intended parent also cannot change the donor’s compensation. The Egg Donor Travel Benefits document is signed by the intended parent and the egg donor prior to any medical, genetic or psychological screening. Once these agreements are signed by both parties, APM forwards them to the attorneys to incorporate these terms into an egg donation contract, which will be signed by both the intended parent and the egg donor.
  • The Legal Contract - The egg donor and intended parent(s) sign a contract that is legally binding and should not be entered into lightly. The contract covers compensation, legal obligations of the parties, egg donor’s conduct, egg donor’s blackout dates, limitations on the use of the eggs and resulting embryos, future communication or contact between the donor and intended parents, or between the donor and the child once of legal age. Although an egg donor may cancel the contract for any reason until she begins injectable medications, she should never begin the cycle unless she is completely committed to the process. Once medications begin, however, the egg donor may cancel only for medical reasons confirmed by the primary physician, or she will be in breach of contract and subject to monetary penalties.
  • Separate Legal Counsel - The egg donor and the intended parent have separate counsel. All costs for legal counsel are paid by the intended parent, including the legal counsel for the egg donor.

    Reproductive Law Center (RLC) usually represents one of the parties in the negotiations of the legal contract, which ensures that the agency program remains consistent with the legal contract terms. The intended parent’s attorney is the drafting attorney, and the egg donor’s attorney is the reviewing attorney. The drafting attorney sends an initial draft of the contract to the donor’s attorney for donor review and approval, or the attorney will submit proposed changes. Once the terms of the contract are finalized, all parties are required to sign the contract, at which time the contract becomes legally binding on the parties. A legal clearance letter will be issued and sent to APM and to the IVF Center. Medications will not begin until all parties have signed the egg donation contract and legal clearance is issued for the cycle. Learn more about why we use RLC - link to Why Use RLC
  • The Trust Account - As a part of the legal agreement, the full amount of funds for the egg donor cycle— including cost of retrieval, medications, travel, and egg donor’s compensation—are placed in a trust account prior to when the egg donor begins injectable medications for retrieval. The trust holder is generally a law firm or a licensed escrow company.

    The fund manager is responsible for writing checks for compensation and for all cycle expenses due to donor. APM submits a payment request to the fund manager for the donor’s screening fee, medication start fee, and compensation when due, but won’t send the check to the donor until APM receives confirmation of completion from the IVF center. Donors are required to submit to APM all receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses that the intended parents have agreed to reimburse. Receipts must be received within 30 days of the charge being incurred, or there will be no reimbursement—so it is important to keep all receipts pertaining to the egg donation cycle. The attorney-client trust is subject to State Bar of California regulations; we are happy to provide further information about the State of CA requirements if requested.

THERE ARE POTENTIAL RISKS INHERENT IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE EGG DONATION MEDICAL PROCESS AND PROCEDURES, INCLUDING TAKING ANY MEDICATION. A PERFECT MATCH IS UNABLE TO GIVE ANY MEDICAL ADVICE, AND IT IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EGG DONOR TO INVESTIGATE ALL SUCH RISKS AND TO DISCUSS ALL MEDICAL ISSUES WITH THE PRIMARY IVF PHYSICIAN.

tab images medical

Get Started »
Have Questions »

Egg Retrieval Procedures

The actual egg retrieval procedure is determined by the IVF center. Once a donor completes the screening and all genetic and other test results are complete then the donor can expect the IVF center to give her a full explanation of the process and procedures for the cycle.

  • Calendar - The IVF center will send a calendar and medication protocol to the donor and to APM. Each donor receives her own unique calendar based on when she will begin medications, the type of medications, the duration for taking the medications, and the proposed date for egg retrieval. APM also receives a copy of the calendar so we can help arrange for travel, if required. Donor medications are ordered by the IVF center and are delivered to the donor. The IVF center is responsible for discussing the medication dosages, how to administer the medications and timing of each with the donor.
  • Medications - Most egg donors are first placed on some type of birth control in order to regulate their cycles, which allows the physician to coordinate the donor’s cycle with that of the intended mother or surrogate. Medications to quiet the ovaries may be administered first, then different medications are utilized to stimulate her ovaries. All medication protocols are determined by the IVF physician and the donor will be told which protocol will be used when she completes the screening process.
  • Egg Retrieval Procedure - Most IVF centers have their own onsite operating facilities but some use facilities at local hospitals. With the help of an ultrasound guidance machine, the physician inserts a needle through the back of the vagina so that the eggs are removed from the ovaries. The eggs are then taken to the laboratory to be mixed with sperm from the sperm provider. You will remain in recovery for an additional hour or so until the physician feels you are recovered enough to leave. Most donors feel groggy after surgery and will not be allowed to drive or fly that day. This means the donor will require a companion or companion service to remain with her immediately following the procedure. APM can help make any such arrangements and the cost is covered by intended parents.
  • Timeline - APM is not a medical facility, and it is the IVF center that controls every aspect of the cycle; APM offers only general information about egg donor cycles based on the protocols we have observed with most IVF centers. Donors should always confirm all instructions, all medications, and all questions with the primary IVF physician. From the time the match is made the entire process takes about two months, depending on donor availability and the IVF center protocol.

    Birth Control: used to synchronize your cycle to that of the intended mother or surrogate. You will generally remain on birth control for about a month or until instructed by the IVF center to stop.

    Protocol: Most IVF centers now use a shortened, or antagonist, medication protocol, which requires a donor to be on stimulation medications for 10-12 days before the egg retrieval procedure. Medications are generally self-administered by donor (with a small insulin-type needle), or a friend or family member may be recruited by the donor to to help administer the shots. An ultrasound will be required on day 1 or 2 of the donor’s menstrual cycle to make sure the ovaries are quiet and that there are no cysts before beginning the stimulation medications. If the ovaries look good then the donor will begin the 10-12 days of stimulation medications.

    Appointments: During the cycle donors will have a number of appointments for medical, genetic, and psychological screening. Once the medications begin, a donor will most likely 6 to 8 morning appointments to monitor how her body is responding to the medications. During these appointments donors may have an ultrasound and/or blood tests done. Donors are generally required to have a blood test on day 3, an ultrasound and blood test on day 5, and then possibly an ultrasound and/or blood tests every other day until the IVF center determines that the eggs are mature and ready for retrieval. The blood tests and ultrasounds help the physician determine the number, size, and quality of the eggs. These tests are generally done between 7-9 am and results are given same day. Medications may be adjusted depending on test results. Donors must be available to speak with the coordinator in order to get the information needed for the medication instructions.

    Retrieval: Once the eggs are mature the egg donor is given a trigger medication approximately 35 to 36 hours prior to the retrieval. The timing and administration of this medication is crucial; often an IVF center prefers to have a nurse administer this medication even if it is late in the evening. The procedure for harvesting eggs is usually performed first thing in the morning, and donors are required to be at the IVF center 1-2 hours prior to this procedure. The egg retrieval procedure generally takes 20-30 minutes; the recovery time is approximately one to two hours. Donors will be under anesthesia for the retrieval procedure.

    Post Surgery: A donor remains in recovery for an additional hour or so until the physician feels she recovered enough to leave. All donors must be accompanied by a companion or a companion service to make sure someone is with her in case she has a reaction within the first few hours post surgery. Donors are usually tired from anesthesia and typically rest for the remainder of the day. They receive instructions from the IVF center about intake of fluids and symptoms to watch for that may require further medical attention by the IVF center. If the donor traveled by plane for the procedure, she will not be allowed to go home until she is medically cleared the following day. Local donors may go home provided they have a companion to drive her and stay with her for the day.

    Risks: We find most donors experience the retrieval process without any serious side effects and have only mild cramping post retrieval—and they feel good the next day. There are, however, occasions when donors may have more intense reactions to medications and the procedure. This is a reaction called hyperstimulation. IVF centers will discuss all possible risks, side effects, and signs of any pending issues with the donor. Should a donor develop any signs of hyperstimulation, the IVF center will be available 24 hours per day to give instructions for treatment Hyperstimulation may be extremely dangerous and an overnight hospital stay could be required. IVF centers are very cautious and use every precaution to avoid this.

Results

After retrieval donors will be informed of the number of eggs retrieved, but fertilization and pregnancy results are shared only at the discretion of the intended parents. Intended parents must sign a medical release form in order for such information to be given to the agency or donor. APM encourages all our intended parents to share results with the egg donor, because we feel strongly the donor should be allowed this information in order to do her own family planning. It is the donor’s responsibility to notify the agency and her attorney if she chooses to receive this information.

tab images ed ip Initial Egg Donation

Get Started »
Have Questions »

Communication Options Now & In The Future

Until recently egg donation tended to be secretive and egg donors and intended parents remained anonymous. However, we have seen a move toward a more open relationship between the parties and many choose to speak by phone, Skype or even meet in person. Donation through APM is arranged in order to accommodate the desires of each individual family and egg donor regarding anonymity and openness.

Anonymous cycles describe cases in which parties do not share names or contact information. Known donor cycles are those in which parties may share names and contact information, and perhaps agree to remain in touch after the donation is completed. Although a donor will never be asked to do something she is uncomfortable doing, we want donors to know that there are many communication options for getting to know the intended parents if this is what the donor desires. Perhaps the donor and intended parents will choose future contact if they believe it is in the best interest of the child created by donation. Anonymity, on the other hand, is often suggested until the retrieval is completed and it is known if there is or isn’t a pregnancy.

If you and the intended parents prefer, APM is also supportive of a fully "known" donation. In this case, the egg donor and intended parents will generally share contact information so that either can be reached in the future without requiring agency participation. Known or Directed Egg donor is also a term used when an egg donor does not meet all FDA requirements unless it is an open donation.

  • Conference Call - Once officially matched, many intended parents and egg donors welcome an opportunity to speak with each other, and APM can help facilitate this. If a donor wants to speak with intended parents and yet remain anonymous, APM can arrange a phone call on our conference line.
  • Virtual Meeting - Many of our intended parents and donors feel a visual Zoom meeting makes egg donation feel less of a business transaction and more of a mutual effort to accomplish the goal of creating a new life. APM is happy to arrange for such a meeting through our Zoom account. Donors and intended parents can adjust their Zoom name in order to maintain anonymity, if desired.
  • In-Person Meeting - If both parties prefer to meet in person after having a conference or Skype meeting, and if legal contracts have been signed, then APM can arrange for a personal meeting.These meetings are usually held with a third party—the IVF center, agency, attorney, or mental health provider.
  • Future Contact - APM is always willing to arrange for or mediate communication between parties and is willing to provide updated information about the donor to the child, or about the child to the donor. If donors and the intended parents prefer a fully known donation with open contact, however, APM will support and facilitate that decision by providing information to all parties once the legal contract is signed, the retrieval has taken place, and a pregnancy is confirmed—after which the parties can then communicate directly without any agency participation. Because donor health updates in the years following a donation are particularly important, donors are contractually required to contact the agency at least once a year for 18 years or whenever any new medical, genetic, or mental health information is available that could impact the child. The family receiving the donor’s eggs is also required to provide updates with information that could affect the donor or any of her offspring.

tab images ed ip Initial Embryo Donation

Get Started »
Have Questions »

A Cautionary Note About IVF Center Consent Forms

The disposition of embryos is addressed in two places: not only in the legal contract between intended parents and donor, but also in the IVF center consent form. Although both of these documents should contain the same language, often a donor merely skims through the consent form quickly, or it is given to her immediately before the medical procedure. A donor should always insist that the IVF center consent forms are received once the IVF center contacts the donor for a medical screening. Read all IVF documents very carefully. If donating through an IVF center in-house donor program, donors need to recognize most IVF centers do not provide any legal counsel for donors and donors are left on their own to understand the legalese regarding the use of the eggs. Just because the IVF center is owned by physicians does not mean in-house programs are not a way for the IVF center to make additional money.

Even with an agency matched donor and intended parent the IVF center consent form often says that eggs created by the donor belong to the IVF center rather than the intended parents with whom the donor is matched—which means the IVF center determines what happens to the eggs. In other words, the center may give all eggs to the intended parent contracted with the donor—or it may share the eggs between several intended parents, including some who are not party to the actual legal contract between donor and intended parents.

This unethical, but common practice, adds eggs to an IVF center’s egg bank without additional payments to the donor and without the donor’s express understanding and permission. The center then is free to sell (they don’t donate them) a donor’s eggs to more families—and create more children than the donor is aware of. Furthermore, an IVF center often offers intended parents a discount on their own cycle if the intended parents give the center some of the eggs before fertilization.

Be very aware and read everything provided by the IVF center carefully...I can’t stress this enough. Better yet, have an attorney read it and advise you regarding the agreement.

If a donor wants her eggs and resulting embryos to be donated to only one contracted intended parent(s), it must be stated clearly in both the IVF center’s consent form and the legal contract with the intended parents—clear language to the effect that “all eggs must be fertilized by only intended parents that are a party to this agreement”... “Intended parents will not receive any financial payment or concession for giving eggs to the IVF center”... “Intended parents will not donate any eggs or embryos created from those eggs without first notifying donor” (or even requiring permission of donor). If the donor doesn’t care if her eggs or embryos are given to numerous groups of intended parents, then that also should be part of the legal contract and the consent form. If a donor has strong feelings about wanting her eggs to only go to one intended parent, or she doesn’t want eggs donated to research the contract should also address this. Never sign an IVF consent form without reading it carefully—otherwise you may be giving up rights without knowing it.

APM is very supportive of embryo donation, but only if the donor agrees with the disposition of the embryos. If the embryos are given to another family, then the donor should be informed of the donation and if there was a resulting pregnancy. We recommend this because we believe the donor and her own current or future children should know—for purposes of their own future planning—if there are genetic half-siblings. Of course, it is also acceptable for a donor to agree to allow the intended parents to do anything they want with the eggs or resulting embryos. We simply want to shine a light on the oftentimes confusing consent forms so every donor is informed and understands this very important post-retrieval possibility, and that she speak with her attorney to make sure her wishes are addressed in all relevant contracts.

Egg donation is an amazing gift to those who can’t have a child without the help of a generous woman. Every potential egg donor candidate should feel proud for even considering egg donation. Should you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help.

APM Logo Footer

  2275 Rio Bonito Way, Suite 230 | San Diego, CA 92108

  Mon-Fri 9am-5pm PST
  (800) 264-8828 | (619) 464-1424
  [email protected]

WWW.REPRODUCTIVEFACTS.ORG

WWW.ASRM.ORG