WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR DONOR EGGS?

Why would a woman need donor eggs: She cannot produce her own eggs She doesn't have good quality eggs She experiences early menopause, which stops her producing her own eggs Chemo or radiation, due to cancer, have destroyed her eggs She has a hereditary disease that may be passed on to her children, so she would prefer to use healthy donated eggs Her eggs may be "too old" or not good enough to be used

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EGG DONATION?

You need to be biologically female You need to be aged between 19 and 30 You need to be healthy You need to be of normal body weight for your height (BMI between 20 and 28) All races welcome You need to be a non-smoker You need to be not using drugs at all You need to be not drinking much alcohol You need to be mentally and emotionally stable If selected, you will need to arrange your own transport to the selected Fertility Clinic, but you will be compensated for transport by the Egg Donor Co. Please enquire as to what the compensation will be. You can be single or married (if you are married, you need to have your partner’s consent) You can be heterosexual or homosexual (i.e. Lesbians can become donors) You cannot be currently breastfeeding in the event that you have a baby of your own Committed to the Egg Donation Donor Program You need to be reliable (i.e. so if you schedule an appointment, for example, you will be sure to keep that appointment, no matter what)

IF I DONATE MY EGGS, WILL IT IMPACT MY FERTILITY? WILL I EVER RUN OUT OF EGGS TO HAVE MY OWN BABY?

Absolutely not. No. The procedure itself doesn't have any impact on your future ability to have children. Women are born with about 2 million eggs. Each month, a group of eggs begin the maturation process, but the body selects only one egg each cycle to ovulate, while the rest are absorbed by the body. Fertility medications "rescue" some of these excess eggs that the body would have ordinarily discarded.

HOW MANY EGGS ARE RETRIEVED?

The average is 10-15 eggs aspirated per cycle, but donors can produce 16 or more eggs. It differs from one person to another, and even from one cycle to another.

IS EGG DONATION LEGAL?

Yes, it’s 100% legal. The South African Society of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endoscopy regulates egg donor agencies in South Africa.

HOW MUCH DO EGG DONORS GET PAID?

In terms of South African law, Egg Donors are allowed to be compensated (rewarded for their time and effort). This compensation is currently R7000 - R8000 for 2024. This amount does not depend on the number of eggs retrieved in the process.

WHO PAYS MY MEDICAL BILLS?

All your medical bills are covered by the person (the recipient) who requested your eggs.

CAN I DONATE EGGS MORE THAN ONCE?

Yes. This is up to you. Average donation is 1-5 times in a lifetime.

WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME TO COMPLETE A DONOR CYCLE?

The stimulated cycle only takes about two to three weeks..

No, it is not painful at all. During the stimulation phase, a donor might experience some bloating and irritability. The egg retrieval is done under sedation so a donor will not experience pain during the procedure. Either way you are very relaxed. You may feel some discomfort, but you shouldn’t be in pain.

HOW ARE THE DONOR EGGS REMOVED?

Light sedation without surgery. The procedure takes about 15-30 minutes.

HOW LONG DOES THE ACTUAL EGG REMOVAL PROCESS TAKE?

The entire procedure takes about 15-30 minutes. After the egg retrieval, you’ll rest for about 60 minutes in the recovery area, where a nurse will monitor you.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECOVER FROM THE EGG RETRIEVAL?

We recommend you take the day off from work on the day of your retrieval, so you can rest for the remainder of the day after the procedure.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE EGGS THAT ARE LEFT OVER?

Generally they are frozen for the intended parent to use at a later stage.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF EGG DONATION?

Any medical procedure carries a degree of risk. The primary risk is a condition called OHS (Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome). OHS is very rare due to the careful monitoring that is done by your physician. Symptoms include a feeling of bloating. Also, as with any procedure, a risk of infection exists. You will likely be given antibiotics to decrease the risk of infection. Donors are advised to review the risks with their physician.

Egg Donor FAQs

EGG DONOR FAQs

WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR DONOR EGGS?
Why would a woman need donor eggs:
- She cannot produce her own eggs
- She doesn’t have good quality eggs
- She experiences early menopause, which stops her producing her own eggs
- Chemo or radiation, due to cancer, have destroyed her eggs
- She has a hereditary disease that may be passed on to her children, so she would prefer to use healthy donated eggs
- Her eggs may be “too old” or not good enough to be used
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EGG DONATION?
- You need to be biologically female
- You need to be aged between 19 and 30
- You need to be healthy
- You need to be of normal body weight for your height (BMI between 20 and 28)
- All races welcome
- You need to be a non-smoker
- You need to be not using drugs at all
- You need to be not drinking much alcohol
- You need to be mentally and emotionally stable
- If selected, you will need to arrange your own transport to the selected Fertility Clinic, but you will be compensated for transport by the Egg Donor Co. Please enquire as to what the compensation will be.
- You can be single or married (if you are married, you need to have your partner’s consent)
- You can be heterosexual or homosexual (i.e. Lesbians can become donors)
- You cannot be currently breastfeeding in the event that you have a baby of your own
- Committed to the Egg Donation Donor Program
- You need to be reliable (i.e. so if you schedule an appointment, for example, you will be sure to keep that appointment, no matter what)
IF I DONATE MY EGGS, WILL IT IMPACT MY FERTILITY? WILL I EVER RUN OUT OF EGGS TO HAVE MY OWN BABY?
Absolutely not. No. The procedure itself doesn’t have any impact on your future ability to have children. Women are born with about 2 million eggs. Each month, a group of eggs begin the maturation process, but the body selects only one egg each cycle to ovulate, while the rest are absorbed by the body. Fertility medications “rescue” some of these excess eggs that the body would have ordinarily discarded.
HOW MANY EGGS ARE RETRIEVED?
The average is 10-15 eggs aspirated per cycle, but donors can produce 16 or more eggs. It differs from one person to another, and even from one cycle to another.
IS EGG DONATION LEGAL?
Yes, it’s 100% legal. The South African Society of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endoscopy regulates egg donor agencies in South Africa.
HOW MUCH DO EGG DONORS GET PAID?
In terms of South African law, Egg Donors are allowed to be compensated (rewarded for their time and effort). This compensation is currently R7000 – R8000 for 2024. This amount does not depend on the number of eggs retrieved in the process.
WHO PAYS MY MEDICAL BILLS?
All your medical bills are covered by the person (the recipient) who requested your eggs.
CAN I DONATE EGGS MORE THAN ONCE?
Yes. This is up to you. Average donation is 1-5 times in a lifetime.
WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME TO COMPLETE A DONOR CYCLE?
The stimulated cycle only takes about two to three weeks..
IS IT PAINFUL?
No, it is not painful at all. During the stimulation phase, a donor might experience some bloating and irritability. The egg retrieval is done under sedation so a donor will not experience pain during the procedure. Either way you are very relaxed. You may feel some discomfort, but you shouldn’t be in pain.
HOW ARE THE DONOR EGGS REMOVED?
Light sedation without surgery. The procedure takes about 15-30 minutes.
HOW LONG DOES THE ACTUAL EGG REMOVAL PROCESS TAKE?
The entire procedure takes about 15-30 minutes. After the egg retrieval, you’ll rest for about 60 minutes in the recovery area, where a nurse will monitor you.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECOVER FROM THE EGG RETRIEVAL?
We recommend you take the day off from work on the day of your retrieval, so you can rest for the remainder of the day after the procedure.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE EGGS THAT ARE LEFT OVER?
Generally they are frozen for the intended parent to use at a later stage.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF EGG DONATION?
Any medical procedure carries a degree of risk. The primary risk is a condition called OHS (Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome). OHS is very rare due to the careful monitoring that is done by your physician. Symptoms include a feeling of bloating. Also, as with any procedure, a risk of infection exists. You will likely be given antibiotics to decrease the risk of infection. Donors are advised to review the risks with their physician.

Egg Donor FAQs

EGG DONOR FAQs

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