Factors to consider when selecting an egg donor
Choosing your specific egg donor is one of the most personal and important decisions you’ll make. Many intended parents choose to seek the services of an egg donor agency - however, choosing which agency to work with is a big decision in itself and many intended parents go to multiple agencies before they find their perfect donor. To make the process easier, GoStork provides the largest free online database of over 10,000 egg donors from various egg donor agencies all in one place, allows you to compare egg donors side-by-side, then connect directly with the agencies of your favorites.
Egg donor profiles you review include the donor’s physical attributes, education level, medical history, as well as family history, among other elements such as ethnicity and religion. Undeniably, you are presented with a large amount of information, but in this case, the more information the better! To get started, you’ll want to decide what characteristics matter personally to you. Here is a list of criteria you’ll have to consider:
- Age – Donor must be between the ages of 21 and 30 but if you prefer one on either the younger or older end of that spectrum, that’s a valid decision
- BMI – Donors must have a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18-27, but as far as the donor’s specific weight - that may be a consideration that’s important to you.
- Medical History – Personal health history (ideally, a non-smoker, non-drug user and non-alcohol dependent, has no STDs, and is not undergoing treatment for depression or anxiety - these elements are pre-vetted and indicated for you to consider), family health history (ie. you would be looking for egg donor profiles with no family history of genetic disorders, and no significant family history of cancer).
- Reproductive history – If applicable, you’ll see information about ‘proven fertility’ in egg donor profiles, ie. a previous successful pregnancy shows that the donor has the potential to provide healthy eggs. You may also learn that the donor has donated eggs prior that resulted in a successful pregnancy.
- Appearance – You’ll see the donor’s photos, (ideally current as well as from childhood) and - when available - videos, natural hair color, eye color, height, and, as already mentioned, you’ll see her weight. Many intended parents are interested in donors with similar physical features to themselves, while others are interested in dissimilar features. Again, these are personal decisions and any preference is valid.
- Personal Background – This can range across heritage, religion, characteristics, education, career, and even criminal record. This is obviously a wide range of criteria - so just to explore one example; a donor with a graduate degree or high test scores may be someone you’re ideally looking for - so you could, as a starting point, filter your options through the lens of your desired standard of education. Also, many intended parents look for egg donors with a similar heritage or religious background as themselves.
- Compensation: Fee can range from $8,000 to $20,000 - donors may charge more when they have proven fertility or a higher level of education, among other factors.
- Location - An egg donor close to your IVF clinic can help save you money in covering her travel costs. That said, this may not be your most important criterion - in which case it’s totally up to you to prioritize other factors over where the donor lives.
Next Week Part 3 Choosing Between Frozen or Fresh Donor Eggs
About Eran Amir
With more than 20 years of experience, Eran Amir has worked as both a software development and product management executive in Israel and the Greater New York Area. The development of GoStork combines his professional skill set with a personal mission. After undergoing a long, difficult, and costly process to expand his family via surrogacy and egg donation, Amir vowed to help other intended parents avoid the complexity and confusion he experienced. His passion led to the creation of GoStork, which proudly names Amir’s two-year-old daughter as its co-founder.
