Explore our egg donor FAQs to decide if egg donation is right for you
If you’ve ever wondered about donating your eggs, but have questions about the process, you’re not alone. Below are common egg donor FAQs that can give you more information about becoming an egg donor.
Are you taking all of my eggs – can I still have a baby later on?
There is a common myth that egg donation can result in the inability to have your own children because you are losing all of your eggs—this is false! Most women are born with 1million eggs, give or take a thousand or so! An egg donation cycle will typically result in 10-20 eggs retrieved. The biggest facto impacting your ability to have a baby of your own is the age that you attempt to conceive!
What should you include in your egg donor application essays and personal statement?
Much like a college application, these essays require some humble bragging. Your profile is designed to help someone decide if you’re the egg donor for them. It’s your story of “you”, in your own words. The essays allow the recipients to see you as a real person, so let them get to know you. Things to consider including in your profile are things that give insight into who you are:
- About your family – do you have children, a partner, brothers or sisters
- Why you decided to become an egg donor
- What you hope for someone who uses your eggs
- What you do for a living and why you chose this career
- Your outlook on life
- What is your personality like
- How would your closest friends and family describe you
- A goodwill message to a donor-conceived child, this is important as it may be given to child one day to explain genetic origins
How are donors and recipients matched?
As and egg donor, your profile will be available to egg recipients in our database. Most egg donor programs are anonymous so only non-identifying information is shared. Pictures are usually pat of the database profile so those are the only identifying information shared with future parents. Future parents (egg recipients) choose their donors based on a range of factors, including physical features, ethnic background, personality and talents.
How often can you donate your eggs?
It takes about 6 to 8 weeks for a physician to review your donation (whether it was safe, the quality and quantity of your eggs, etc.) before you may donate again. Pathways to Parenthood allows women to donate their eggs up to six times in their lifetime, a guideline established by the governing body of infertility, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).
Are there any expenses associated with egg donation?
No, the intended parents will be responsible for all costs of the cycle.
Is my egg donation anonymous?
The majority of egg donors choose to be anonymous. In these setups, no identifying information is shared between the donor and the intended family. Donors are also not informed of the outcome of their eggs. Semi-anonymous, or semi-open, setups also exist, in which donors and intended parents agree to share a small amount of information with one another. This may include locations or first names. Known donors, or open donors, are far less common. These setups involve a friend or family member of the intended parent(s) serving as a donor.
How will I be compensated?
Pathways to Parenthood Egg Donors compensation is $5,000 for a first-time donor, distributed upon completion of the cycle. Donors may be eligible for increased compensation upon subsequent cycles, if eligible.
Basic Criteria for Egg Donor Candidates:
- Between the ages of 21-29
- Healthy BMI: Under 29
- Physically and emotionally healthy
- Good family health history (including mental health)
- Non-smoker, non-drug user (all donors are tested)
- Have regular periods
- Not currently breastfeeding
- Willing to undergo medical and psychological evaluation
- Willing to take injectable medication
Becoming an egg donor is a big deal. It’s a decision that will affect many lives, including your own. There’s no denying that donating your eggs is a sacrifice, and you’re giving the gift of life to a couple waiting for a family. If you’ve decided to become an egg donor, Pathways to Parenthood can guide you through the process. They have been helping bring together future parents and egg donors for 9 years!
Pathways to Parenthood Surrogate Feature: Veronica
You can read all about what it’s like to be a surrogate. Online you can find what one might be able to expect and what the process is like but the best way to learn about a journey as a surrogate mother is through firsthand experience from someone who knows.
For our first Surrogate feature of 2021, we sat down (virtually) with Surrogate Veronica. Veronica is in her second trimester of her first surrogacy journey.
1) What first brought you to surrogacy? What made you interested in becoming a surrogate?
It’s something I always thought about doing after my first pregnancy. All of my pregnancies have been super easy and I love being pregnant but we don’t want any more kids for ourselves. I figure this way I can do something I love for someone else. I know not everyone has as easy a time getting and being pregnant as I did so it’s nice to help someone else when you are able.
2) During the matching process, were you interested in helping a specific type of family or were you open to any match?
I was open to any match. I originally thought I would match with a gay couple but then that’s not how it worked out. Regardless, I absolutely adore my IPs and I’m so glad to be working with them.
3) How did you build the relationship with your IPs during your first journey?
We text every now and then. If I have important questions or information then we will set up a time for a call or FaceTime— we both have young kids so usually after the bed time circus is a good time to chat. My IPs are semi local to me so they are able to come to some appointments and that has been really nice!
4) Do you have any advice to share with prospective surrogates?
It took me a long time from thinking about being a surrogate to being pregnant so plan for a lot of twists and turns. It has all definitely been worth it in the end.
If you are inspired by Veronica’s surrogate mother story, apply now to see if you qualify to be a surrogate. We have intended families waiting to be matched with a surrogate to grow their families. Pathways to Parenthood is offering a $500 bonus payment to anyone that completes the screening process and joins our program.
Surrogate Bonus – Pathways to Parenthood
Many women enjoy being pregnant. From the glowing skin to the baby bump, there’s a lot to love about the pregnancy journey. Many people who enjoy being pregnant, but aren’t looking to expand their family, choose to give the gift of parenthood to those who can’t conceive on their own through surrogacy. Pathways to Parenthood is offering a $500 bonus payment to anyone that completes the screening process and joins our program. Since we’re always in the market for incredible women who have the heart to help create families, this program is our way of saying “thank you.”
Why Are We Offering a Bonus?
Surrogacy is extremely important. The more surrogates that we find, the more families that we can help have children – and we think that deserves a bonus! We have many intended parents waiting to be matched with a surrogate to grow their families.
To learn more about our surrogacy process, please click here!
*Your $500 bonus will be paid out once the screening process has been completed.
Supporting Fathers-To-Be Through Surrogacy
The road of infertility is generally a winding one with unexpected twists and turns. When the path involves surrogacy there are even more steps and unknowns, seemingly overwhelming at times. Furthermore, it can be particularly hard to make sense of these emotional issues when others are celebrating milestones such as fatherhood. While each surrogacy experience is unique, the one commonality is the emotional toll on intended parents. One of the many benefits of using a surrogacy agency is the support they can provide for all fathers as they embark on their journey to parenthood.
One area that can be particularly difficult are celebratory events such as Father’s Day. The role as a Father-To-Be is important and deserves recognition and support. While each individual and couple move through infertility and the surrogacy process differently, there are some ways to help ease the struggle. Open and honest communication are vital to move forward as a couple. It may also help to plan ahead for times that others are celebrating and be prepared to handle the questions from family and friends about surrogacy, the surrogacy process or your surrogacy agency.
Some other ways to support the Father-To-Be in your life, whether it is your partner, your son, your brother, or a close friend. Ask him what he wants, or doesn’t want to do, on Father’s Day. Holidays are usually associated with family traditions that can become an emotional roller coaster when in the midst of family building treatments and/or going through the surrogacy process. Holidays can be a painful reminder of what you do not (yet) have. Offer reassurance that he will be supported in whatever he decides he wants to do this holiday.
If your Father-To-Be is a partner or spouse, one option is to plan a couples day for the two of you. While family and friends mean well, unless they have battled infertility and the surrogacy process, they really don’t get the struggle holidays bring. Celebrating Father’s Day in a different way that involves focus on you as a couple may be a refreshing and distracting way to get through the difficult holiday. When you are in the surrogacy process it can feel like everything revolves around getting pregnant. You can make this day an infertility / surrogacy-free time to reconnect in ways you did as a couple before pregnancy/having a baby took over your life.
Fathers’ Day can be a time to reflect on how far you’ve come. The journey to get to the surrogacy process likely has been a long one. The Father-To-Be in your life has probably made many sacrifices to get to this point. He likely envisions what it will be like to be a dad. As a couple the two of you can decide the new traditions you want to create once your baby arrives.
We realize there are many different journeys to parenthood. If you have considered helping a family become parents by becoming a surrogate, contact Pathways to Parenthood today and get started! If having a baby through surrogacy and/or egg donation is an option you are considering to make your dreams of becoming a parent come true, we want to hear from you! Take the first step and contact Pathways to Parenthood today. We have helped surrogates and intended parents come together in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois and Arkansas. If you live in the Midwest, we are the surrogacy agency for you! You can contact us at 913-469-5500 or at www.pathwaystoparenthood.com