Egg donation - I'd like to donate. How does it work?

[OneForTheJourney]

I hope this is the right place to post.

I'm interested in donating eggs in the future. It's something I've thought about on and off for years. Decided it wasn't something I wanted to do until I'd had my own kids. (I was worried due to various previous gynae issues that I might not be able to have kids and it didn't want to find out that way).

I know a few couples who have been successful in starting their family with donated eggs and some who's only choice would be this route but decided it (ivf) wasn't for them.

I'd like to hear from anyone who's donated their eggs, how does it work? How long is the process? If there an age limit? Any used information would be greatly appreciated.

Also, genetically speaking, would any future baby be linked to my daughters?

Hi @OneForTheJourney that’s great that you want to donate eggs. I think the first step would be for you to look at some fertility clinics in your local area, most will have some information on their website about the process, I think the age limit is usually around 35, but the younger someone is the better, as there will be a lower risk of the eggs being aneuploid.

The clinic I’m with has some information on their website, which might answer some of your questions www.carefertility.com/donation/egg-donation/?nst=0&gclid=Cj0KCQiAv6yCBhCLARIsABqJTjYaRTDKJb8iI8754ta2R-MP8H4PoD-Vm68tTuF-Ilvo6zwsHaMpokUaAvJMEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

As far as I’m aware if you donate eggs you can be told if a child is born and whether it’s a boy or a girl, but you’ll get no other information. The child has a right to know their biological parent and you may be contacted by them in the future. Any child born using your eggs will be your daughter’s half sibling. So you’ll be the biological mother of both the children, but they will have different fathers.

The process for donating eggs will be similar to that of a fresh IVF cycle, you will go through a number of tests first, such as blood tests and an ultrasound scan. You will then start a treatment cycle: usually this involves taking suppression medication, which puts your natural cycle on hold, you then take injections which will stimulate your ovaries, this leads to the follicles in your ovaries getting bigger, you’ll be monitored with scans during this time, once over a certain size you will be booked in for an egg collection. This is done under sedation, I was completely knocked out during this. They will drain each of the follicles, follicles over a certain size will hopefully contain an egg. When I had a cycle I didn’t notice any hormonal effects but I did get some feelings of pressure as my ovaries got bigger, I had a lot of follicles on the baseline scan though, a lot of women don’t get this feeling.

In the UK egg donation is done altruistically, there is no financial gain, but I understand you can be paid £750. This is to take into account the need to go to scans etc.

I hope my explanation is helpful

That's all really helpful! Thank you so much. I'll have a look for local clinics and at the link you've sent.

Hi, just to add that there's a forum on here about donor conception which also might be helpful to post in?