All our egg donors have something in common: a positive attitude, a big heart and a kind and generous soul. However, according to the regulations of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), all women considering becoming an egg donor must also meet the following criteria:
- Be between the ages of 18 and 35, fit and healthy.
- Have no history in the family of inherited diseases or genetic disorders.
- Be within normal limits of weight for their height, with a BMI of under 30.
- Not trying to conceive whilst undergoing the process. Before you donate you will need to have certain health tests to ensure you don't pass on any serious diseases or medical conditions to the baby or mother. You should also tell the clinic about any inheritable diseases in your family.
It is also necessary to attend a counselling session. We provide Implications counselling to ensure that you fully understand the implications of egg donation for you, your partner, your family and any existing or future children.
Why egg donors need to be under 35?
The optimal age to be an egg donor is under 35 years when you are producing eggs of best quality. After the age of 35 your eggs start to undergo subtle genetic changes – which can result in fewer eggs and eggs of reduced quality. This in turn can cause an increased risk of miscarriage and an increased risk of abnormalities with the growing baby.
Why you need to have a BMI above 20 and below 30?
BMI is an important indicator of how well you will respond to fertility drugs Having a healthy BMI is important for you as an egg donor and also for your own General Wellbeing. A donor who has a BMI under 20 or above 30 would not respond well to fertility medication and would be more likely to produce low numbers of eggs and eggs of poor quality. There would also be increased risk to your own health. If your BMI is outside the required range but you qualify in other areas we can help you to improve your BMI with diet and Lifestyle advice.
Why you should not try to conceive whilst undergoing the process?
If you are trying to get pregnant yourself it is not the right time to be an egg donor. Egg donation is all about helping another couple start a family, if you are trying to get pregnant yourself, there will inevitably be a conflict of interests. In addition, egg donation treatment is designed to encourage a number of eggs to develop at the same time, so should you become pregnant at this moment you would be at serious risk of a multiple pregnancy. Donating eggs is highly unlikely to affect your fertility, so there is no reason why you would not be able to have children yourself after being an egg donor. If however, for any reason it is thought that your fertility could be affected, you would not be allowed to continue, nor should you do so.