Egg Donation and Egg Donors

This page provides access to information about egg donation (also called ovum donation, donor ovum, oocyte donation, donor oocyte, egg donors, egg donation cycles).

Egg donation defined

Egg donation is the process by which a fertile woman provides one or several eggs (also known as ova or oocytes) to an infertile woman for purposes of assisted reproduction. After the eggs have been retrieved from the donor, the role of the egg donor is complete.

The process involves in vitro fertilization (IVF) as the eggs are fertilized in the laboratory, and the resulting embryos are then transferred to the recipient's uterus.

If a birth results, the recipient will not be biologically related to the child, but she will be the birth mother on record.

Information for intended parents

• Success rates
• Costs
• How to choose an egg donor program
• How to avoid a fraudulent egg donor or surrogacy agency
• How to select an egg donor
• Egg donation medical procedure
• Emotional aspects of egg donation for recipients

Information for egg donors

• Egg donation - for egg donors - Main page of information
• Egg donation medical procedure
• Egg donor compensation
• How to become an egg donor

ASRM guidelines

The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has issued guidelines for these procedures, as has the FDA. Below are some of them:

• Eligibility determination for donors of human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products
   
• Financial compensation of oocyte donors - PDF file
   
• Family members as gamete donors and surrogates - PDF file 
   
• Guidelines for gamete and embryo donation - PDF file

There are also boards in countries outside of the United States who have similar regulations.