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Who Makes a Good Egg Donor
Women who donate their eggs to couples experiencing fertility problems are very special people. They are providing infertile couples with one last chance to be a family and have the child of their dreams. These women are even more special because not just any person can be a donor. While many women are physically able to donate their eggs, not everyone has the qualities necessary to make a suitable egg donor.
The list of characteristics may vary from one fertility center to another, but it is generally agreed that the donor should be at least 21 years of age and under age 35. This age range often varies, however, according to the particular fertility specialist or center. The woman's age, along with other qualities and factors, can be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Some fertility specialists may want only donors who are in their late 20s. The rationale for this is that older donors have reached a higher level of maturity and are more emotionally capable of making the commitment required during the process of egg donation. Others look for donors who are married and already have had their children.
While age 35 usually is the cut-off point for the prospective "older" donor, it is not mandatory. This is a commonly-used guideline because a woman's fertility and egg quality tend to begin a decline around this age. However, prospective donors over the age of 35 who are known to the recipient (i.e. sisters, cousins, nieces, friends) can be considered. In these cases, it is important that both the donor and the couple be made aware that the odds of having a "take home baby" decrease with the higher age.
Perhaps even more important than age is the physical health of the prospective donor. Those who have a history of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, genetic problems or other chronic illnesses are not acceptable donors. If the prospective donor's immediate family (parents and grandparents or other relatives) has any of the above health problems, she may still be an acceptable donor under certain conditions and providing that these illnesses/problems are disclosed to prospective recipients. For example, some infertile couples may not care that the donor's family has a history of alcoholism or heart disease. Others would not want to use their eggs because their own family history is similar, and the chances would be increased that their child could have one or more of these conditions.
All reputable fertility specialists and centers run a battery of blood and other tests on prospective donors to screen out those with negative health conditions before they are accepted as donors.
Evaluating the psychological state of the woman who offers to donate her eggs is also key in determining her suitability. All prospective donors should undergo counseling sessions. This is true even for donors who are known to the recipient couple. The counselor should issue a report, to be used in conjunction with other factors in determining the person's suitability to be an egg donor.
Many prospective donors--especially those who will be anonymous--are attracted by the money they'll receive for their time and services. However, financial compensation is not the only motivation for women who choose to donate eggs. Some women are altruistic-minded and donate their eggs because they know of friends or family members who couldn't conceive a child on their own. Others merely think it's something they should do. Perhaps they have already had their own children and want to help other couples who have been unable to have a family. There are also those who think they don't want children of their own, but see egg donation a way to provide for the continuation of their own genetic line.
Any prospective egg donor who is in an active, on-going relationship, whether married or with a boyfriend, must be sure that the relationship is a stable one. The husband or boyfriend should be in agreement with what his wife or girlfriend is doing. She may need or want him to give her the shots to stimulate her egg production. She even may become pregnant as a result of the stimulation and he should be comfortable with that possibility. It should be emphasized, however, that not all prospective egg donors need to be in an on-going relationship.
Specific blood type of the egg donor is not important unless the future parents don't want to tell their child that he or she is the product of an egg donation. Since infertility knows no boundaries, egg donors can come from a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds.
Most prospective parents will say they want eggs from donors with "attractive features", but what one couple considers important is not necessarily so to another. Therefore, the attractiveness and physical features of potential donors is relative to other qualities. Women with every conceivable eye color, skin tone, hair texture, nose size, height and weight are all possible egg donor candidates. The recipient couple often chooses a donor who has features and characteristics similar to those of the wife. For instance, a woman who is blonde with blue eyes may look for a donor with similar coloring. Perhaps an athletic individual will look for a donor who like sports. One who is scientifically-inclined might look for a donor whose job is in the medical field.
The education level attained by the prospective donor also may be important to the recipient couple. Most fertility centers and couples prefer a donor who is college-educated, or who at least has some advanced training beyond high school.
When interviewing prospective egg donors, it is important that the donor understand the procedures involved in the egg stimulation and retrieval. It is preferable that the donor not be squeamish about these procedures.
The donor's feelings and desires regarding whether she would allow contact with the child when it reaches 18 and expresses a desire to meet his/her genetic mother, is also a topic for discussion. A prospective egg donor should decide before she agrees to donate eggs whether or not she will allow or want future contact with the child.
Finally, those individuals who truly seem excited about the possibility of helping an infertile couple have a child are the best egg donors. There is no greater gift than donating one's eggs, which in turn enables the couple to become a family. It is truly the "gift that keeps on giving".
Copyright 1996. The American Surrogacy Center, Inc.(TASC), Marietta, GA
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