Egg Donors

Become an Egg Donor.

STEP ONE
Initial application and consent
Once you contact us, we will provide you with the necessary instructions for forms to be completed, which you will then send to us. Don’t worry, we will assist you to fill them in.

STEP TWO
Screening
Once you have met the criteria and have been accepted, you will be informed about the screening process to follow which will include the following:
• Testing for infectious diseases
• Blood Group
• Fertility test (AMH) to check ovarian reserve
• Physical examination
• Psychological examination

STEP THREE
Stimulation
The egg donation process will start on the first day of your menstrual cycle. If you are taking the contraceptive injection, please stop for a full 3 months and then apply. If you are taking other forms of contraception please inform the donor coordinator so this can be taken into consideration when planning your cycle. Hormonal injections start from day 3 or 4 of the menstrual cycle and continues for about 10 days. You will be guided on how to carefully administer these injections. These injections help the ova to develop in small ‘sacs’ called follicles.

Throughout the stimulation process, you will be required to come in for scans to measure follicle growth. These are short appointments lasting around 15 mins and usually happen first thing in the mornings.

STEP FOUR
Egg collection
The procedure is not painful at all – there is no surgery. It is a 15-30min painless procedure under light sedation, where the eggs are collected. A few hours following the procedure, you will be compensated R7000 – R8000 (This amount is dependent on the Lab or the recipient for 2024) and discharged. After the procedure, you will not be able to drive. Please make prior arrangements to get home safely. You may experience some light cramps and bloating, and you may feel sleepy after the procedure. If you need a letter for sick leave for your employer, we will arrange this.

For any further questions that you need answering, please have a look at the FAQ section; alternatively do not hesitate to call or contact us – we are there for you!

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Reasons to Become an Egg Donor

There is this broad notion that egg donors only choose to donate their eggs because they get compensated to do so. It certainly may be one reason a woman would agree to donate their eggs, but it’s most definitely not the only reason.

The process involves considerable time, energy and effort for the prospective donor. Credible fertility clinics screen their donor-applicants extremely carefully, especially ensuring that the prospective egg donor’s motives are appropriate. 

These are the top three reasons women choose to become an egg donor:

Empathy & Compassion

Most egg donors are empathic towards potential parents. They tend to be very generous in their willingness to help others – in particular, they typically have an intuitive understanding of the struggle a couple may have in attempting to start a family. These donors recognise that couples within the LGBTQ+ community and those suffering with infertility more than likely need donated eggs in order to have a child. Donated eggs from a qualified, chosen donor can make their dreams of becoming parents; a reality.

Empowerment

A potential donor will undergo intensive physical and psychological screenings. These screenings ensure the medical viability of the potential donor, but they also teach the donor about her body and her health. Through this experience, the egg donor provides long-lasting happiness and the gift of life for others.

Pride

By the time potential parents realise their inability to conceive a child naturally and to seek the help of an egg donor, this life-giving process could be their only chance to have a child. As an egg donor, you’ll be changing the lives of a couple forever by helping them to become parents. This is a priceless gift.

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What you need to know.

Suitable Egg Donors will be compensated for their time and efforts.

Do you qualify?

SO, WHAT ARE THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS

  • Female, aged 19-29
  • Healthy with a BMI of 20-28
  • Reliable
  • Not using contraceptive injections
  • Not breastfeeding
  • Not a smoker
  • No metal disorders
  • Don’t abuse alcohol
  • Not using any recreational drugs
  • Minimum Matric, preferably Tertiary Education.

The Body Mass Index is a simple screening tool that uses your height and weight to determine your weight category (underweight, average weight, overweight, obese). WHAT’S MY BMI?

If your BMI is over 28, unfortunately, you don’t qualify.


 

The 6-Step Process

Below is the simple process the donor undergoes to produce sound, usable eggs for a woman who cannot use her own eggs.

1.      Fill in the Donor Form

2.      Wait for the match with an intended parent

3.      *Appointment at Clinic for Blood Tests, Scan and Counsellor

4.      Start on Contraceptive Pill

5.      Begin Medication

6.      Egg Retrieval (R7000 – R8000 paid to Donor for 2024)

*Paid for by the clinic: All consultations, tests, medication and travel allowance. (As recommended by SASREG)

What happens now?

If you are interested, please fill in the application form.

If you have any further queries, please email Michelle or Lucia hello@theeggdonorco.com and we will get straight back to you.

And thank you for helping to Gift a Life. It takes a special kind of person to do this.

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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.

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