There is something very special about being an egg donor. Despite what you may have read about women donating eggs for money (especially to pay for college tuition or other expenses!), being a donor is an amazing and rewarding experience. You can help another person or couple who, for whatever reason, cannot conceive a child on their own but want to become a mother or father.
That’s a pretty awesome thing!
If you have decided that egg donation is something you can do, you are probably wondering what is involved in the egg donor application process. Hint: this is not like a job application!
Let’s break down the questions you can expect to see on your egg donor application.
General Information
As you would expect with any application, you will need to provide details about who you are and how best to contact you. We will need to know where you live and how far you are willing to travel as our recipients are all over the US (and the world!).
We also want to know if you have participated in other egg donation programs.
Physical Information
Most parents have at least some expectation of what they want their future offspring to look like. Intended Parents are no different. But it’s not just about looking good! Some IPs hope that their child will look a little like them in terms of ethnicity, eye color, hair color, height, and build, so they can look for a donor who is similar to some of their own. characteristics. Understandably, many parents want their child to look like he or she is biologically related to them.
Your application will ask about your hair (color, length, texture), whether you have freckles or dimples, your size and weight, and your dental health.
We ask donors to provide these details about their physical characteristics so that we can provide our Intended Parents with as many options as possible.
Photos (at least 10)
Choosing the right photos for your egg donor profile is important. As we explained above, egg donation is *not* a beauty contest but a way for IPs to find someone with the features they want to see in their offspring.
The other important thing about photos is that they can give your potential IPs some insight into your personality! Your photos should reflect who you are, what you like to do, and how you like to be seen.
Photos of yourself as a baby and growing up are useful as are recent photos. Your IPs will want to have an idea of what their little one might look like.
Personal information
We’ll also ask about things like your job and which languages you speak. Again, this helps IPs get a clear picture of your personality and background. We may also want to know your religion and sexual orientation and some details about your partner (if you have one).
Education information
At FSC, one of the criteria to become an egg donor is having a minimum GED. It proves that you have high school level academic skills.
However, higher education is preferred – for obvious reasons. Like any parent, IPs want to know that their egg donor can demonstrate critical thinking and is motivated to learn.
We also want to know your high school GPA and other relevant scores, including college GPA, ACT, SAT, and MCAT.
Reproductive History
Details about your reproductive history are also very important. After all, it is very important that we have a reasonable expectation that you will produce healthy eggs!
Yes, we accept donors who have never given birth. However, we also need to know if you have been pregnant before or had a miscarriage or abortion. Your current health status and birth control methods will also need to be considered.
If you have children, we need to know if there were complications during your pregnancy and/or delivery and if any of your biological children have health issues.
Personal Health and Medical Information
Here is where we need to be specific. Your eggs will reflect your health, so it’s really important that we know any health conditions you may have (or have had), and any medications you’re taking.
You will be asked about your previous pap smears and if you have had any abnormal results.
There will also be some questions about your mental health and whether you have any psychiatric issues.
Smoking, alcohol, and drug use can affect the fertility and quality of your eggs, so you need to tell us if you engage in any of these.
We will also need to know about any STDs you or your partner may have (if applicable) and if you have ever used drugs or worked in the sex industry. Blood contamination is also an issue, so you will be asked about any piercings, blood transfusions, or organ transplants.
Genetic History (Family)
All prospective egg donors will undergo specific testing to rule out any genetic diseases they may pass on to their offspring. With that in mind, we still want you to answer the questions about your genetic history as honestly as possible here. One of the requirements to be an egg donor is that you know at least half of your genetic make-up, so we need you to mention if anyone in your family has had a particular disease, disability, or health condition, or if have any family history of drug/alcohol use.
Questions about what you can expect from your egg donor journey
We want to know your expectations for being an egg donor with us! Tell us about your egg donation history (if applicable) and how successful it was. Let us know your thoughts on your ‘ideal’ recipients and whether you want to be an anonymous or open donor.
You can also take this time to write a note to your future recipient parents and any children who may be born with your eggs.
What happens next?
Phew – so many details! But it’s all very important that we get to know you as much as possible. Once you have completed your application, it will be reviewed by one of our egg donor coordinators. If you meet the criteria to become an egg donor, we will contact you to discuss the next steps!
Have more questions in front of you start with your application? No problem! Contact the FSC team, and we’ll be happy to help.
