I WANT TO DONATE
What is egg donation?
Egg donation is the process by which a woman donates her eggs to enable another woman to conceive through the process of IVF at a fertility clinic. Donating your eggs is one of life’s most generous acts. Although most people donate their eggs for altruistic reasons, as an egg donor, you will be compensated for your time and effort.
What are the requirements to become
an egg donor?
- You must be between the ages of 19 and 29.
- You must have a normal BMI (Body Mass Index).
- You must have no family history of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
- You are compensated R8 000 each time you donate.
What is the step-by-step egg donation process?
- Contact us so that we can take you through the application process.
- Meet our Egg Donation Coordinator.
- Fill out our egg donor application form, which will include details of your family’s medical history.
- Once application form is approved, you will be booked in for a medical & psychological screening.
- Once screenings are completed/approved, you will an official Egg Donation South Africa (EDSA) Egg Donor.
- You will be added to our anonymous egg donor database where recipients can select you as their perfect egg donor.
- Your Egg Donation Coordinator will confirm details regarding your egg donation cycle/process.
TESTIMONIALS
TIMELINE
Get in Touch
Pop your details into our contact form, and we’ll give you a call to chat.
Get in Touch
Pop your details into our contact form, and we’ll give you a call to chat.
Meet & Greet
We’ll set up a meeting with our egg donation coordinator, at a time and place that suits you. This is your chance to ask all the questions you’ve got and get a proper feel for the process.
Fill in your Application
If you’re keen to move forward, you’ll complete an application form that covers your family’s medical history, your physical traits, and personality. This helps us create an anonymous profile for you, which recipients can view.
Medical Screening
Once your application is approved, we’ll arrange for you to have a once off appointment with our psychologist.
Acceptance into the Programme
Once all the pre-screenings are done and dusted, you’ll officially be part of our egg donation programme!
Profile Available to Recipients
Your anonymous profile, will be available for potential recipients to see on our secure system.
Recipient Chooses You
When a recipient picks your profile, we’ll check if you’re available to donate in the month they need.
You’ll know about 2-3 months before donation day, so you’ll have plenty of time to prepare.
Visit the clinic
Once you’ve confirmed your availability, you’ll visit a fertility specialist at the clinic for a scan and some blood tests. You’ll also meet your dedicated nurse, who’ll be with you throughout the process, guiding you with your meds and answering all your questions.
Start Your Meds
For about 10 days, you’ll give yourself an injection (don’t worry, it’s easy to use and comes in a pre-filled pen, much like an EpiPen). You might also be given some tablets. During this time, you’ll have 3 scans with the doctor to check everything’s on track.
Egg Retrieval Day
After your final scan, your egg retrieval will happen a few days later. You’ll be sedated (so you’ll sleep through it) and the whole thing takes about 15-20 minutes. There’s no cutting involved, just a quick needle procedure to collect the eggs.
Recovery & Aftercare
Once you wake up, our nurses will give you something to eat and drink. Some women feel heavy cramping, like period pains, while others don’t feel much at all. You’ll be given meds for any discomfort and head home after about an hour or two. You’ll need someone to drive you home, or we can help organise transport for you.
How to apply
You can use the online form to apply and someone will be in touch to continue the process.
What the clinical need from you
Once you have been chosen to donate, you’ll have your 1st appointment with the clinic. This includes an ultrasound, genetic tests, hormone screening. You’ll also meet your dedicated nurse, who’ll be with you throughout the process, guiding you with your meds and answering all your questions.
For about 10 days, you’ll give yourself an injection (don’t worry, it’s easy to use and comes in a pre-filled pen, much like an EpiPen). You might also be given some tablets. During this time, you’ll have 3 scans with the doctor to check everything’s on track.
After your final scan, your egg retrieval will happen a few days later. You’ll be sedated (so you’ll sleep through it) and the whole thing takes about 15-20 minutes. There’s no cutting involved, just a quick needle procedure to collect the eggs.
FAQs
Why do people need egg donors?
There are many reasons someone might need an egg donor. Some women are unable to produce healthy eggs due to age, illness, early menopause, or medical treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. Others may carry genetic conditions they do not want to pass on to their children. We also support LGBTQ+ individuals and couples who wish to grow their families through egg donation.
Why is BMI important as an egg donor?
BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. BMI is a simple screening method for weight categories i.e., measuring whether you are underweight, a healthy weight, overweight, or obese.
A healthy BMI is particularly important if you are considering egg donation and matters solely because of your own health as an egg donor; in addition to the impact a higher or lower BMI has on your own fertility and egg quality.
Why can a donor only be between the ages of 19-29?
Whilst the legal age is 18-35, we work with different criteria. In the field of fertility, women aged 35 and older are considered to be at an “advanced” maternal age.
Unfortunately, the quality and quantity of eggs decreases rapidly after the age of 35; and is the reason why so many women are in need of egg donors and why donors should be younger than 35.
How many eggs do I donate?
The average female is born with about 500,000 eggs. Each month your ovaries release follicles, which contain eggs. The average number of follicles is between 4 – 13 each month. Exact egg numbers are difficult to predict as every woman is different. Some factors are genetic, or lifestyle related.
Can I specify for my eggs to be donated to an LGBTQ couple?
Yes! Being an egg donor gives you the opportunity to help an LGBTQ family start their family! Besides heterosexual couples using egg donors, male couples and single men can make use of egg donors along with help from a surrogate to start their families. We also have many LGBTQ egg donors in our ranks who want to support their fellow members of the community, and we have loved walking this journey with them.
Is egg donation legal in South Africa?
Egg donation in South Africa is legal, and is done on an anonymous basis, with the recipient only knowing your dedicated Donor Alias. The recipient will only have to access very limited information about you as the donor such as age, height, weight, eye colour, hair colour, complexion, racial group, occupation, education qualification, fields of interest, personality, family history and other interesting facts about you.
As an egg donor, am I protected by the law?
We have lots of laws and regulations that protect our donors and recipients. Everything we do is governed by the National Health Act (Act no 61 of 2003). We also have an ethical body called SASREG, that oversees everything.
What happens at my ultrasound scan?
Once you have started your injections, you will need to see the doctor for 3-4 ultrasound appointments during your donation process. This is to make sure that your body is responding adequately to the medication. The painless ultrasound is done vaginally by the doctor as part of the consultation. During the ultrasound, the doctor will measure your growing follicles.
Will donating my eggs affect my fertility?
It is extremely unlikely. In fact, donors are cautioned to take measures against falling pregnant whilst on a donation cycle, as you will be very fertile whilst you are on the medication. The eggs retrieved during donation are eggs that would otherwise have been lost naturally during your cycle.
Donating your eggs is also an opportunity to assess your own reproductive health at no expense.
Overall, the donation process allows a woman to take ownership of her reproductive health, learn more about her body and embrace the different decisions we can make about our bodies.
Will I meet my recipient?
No, your identity as a donor and that of your recipients are strictly confidential, and we never disclose your personal details, your adult photos, or your name.
- Only childhood photos up to age 10 years old are seen by the recipient/s looking for a donor
- You will not receive any information regarding the recipient/s, and as a donor you are free from any and all responsibility to any child, born from your donation
- A record is kept of all donations as well as resultant pregnancies
Is egg donation painful?
Some people experience PMS symptoms but really nothing more than what some women experience each month. These could be moodiness, tender breasts, feeling bloated or mild headaches. You won’t have to take time away from work or change your lifestyle, you can continue as normal whilst you donate.
You may feel slight cramping, like period pains, but the actual procedure of retrieving the eggs is done under general anaesthetic. It is advisable not to partake in exercise on the day of your egg retrieval as you may feel a little tender.
What is the process once I have been chosen as an egg donor?
You would see our clinical social worker or psychologist. You will also see a doctor for a full consultation, a scan and a blood test. You will be screened for the following:
- HIV I & II antibodies
- RPR (Syphilis)
- Hepatitis B surface antigen
- Hepatitis C antibodies
- CMV IgM
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhoea
- Blood Group
- Cystic Fibrosis
On occasion, your recipient may request additional genetic tests, The pros are that you would know if you are a carrier of certain genetic diseases. There are no cons. The testing is done using one blood sample, and at no cost to you.
What does the medication I need to take do?
Are the injections painful?
The injections are very manageable. They’re given with a small, pen-like device and are self-administered just under the skin (usually around the belly area). Most donors say the process is easier than expected. Your coordinator will guide you every step of the way.
How many times can I donate my eggs?
Many of our egg donors donate more than once!
According to Chapter 8 on Artificial Fertilisation of the National Health Act (2003), a donor may not have more than 6 children born from their donation/s.
Who needs donor eggs?
Women with a history of rare genetic disorders or abnormalities; women who are in early menopause, women who had chemotherapy or radiation, which affects her eggs or women who have poor quality eggs. You may also donate to people in the LGBTQ+ community. The people you donate to, are called recipients, as in – you’re a donor and they’re the recipient. Most recipients have often exhausted various fertility treatments, making egg donation a hopeful and final option.
Where do I donate?
Recipients typically have established relationships with doctors, which determines where donations occur. Our agency collaborates with clinics across the country to facilitate donations.
What is the cost of egg donation?
As a donor, you will be compensated R8, 000 every time that you donate. That’s paid into your bank account. You won’t pay for any of the medical procedures or medical aspects of your donation.
Are there any risks?
There are rare complications like Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) which happens when a woman’s ovaries become swollen and painful after taking medication to stimulate egg production. It can cause symptoms like bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. In severe cases, it can lead to fluid buildup in the abdomen and chest, along with difficulty breathing. If this happens, you will be cared for and monitored our doctor. We prioritise donor care and monitoring throughout the process.
Severe OHSS happens in 1.5% of ED cycles. While complications like Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) are rare, donor care and monitoring are prioritized throughout the process. There is also a risk of infection, much like when you get a tattoo or piercing.
What is the step-by-step egg donation process?
- Contact us so that we can take you through the application process
- Meet our Egg donation Coordinator
- Fill out our egg donor application form, which will include details of your family’s medical history
- Once application form is approved, you will be booked in for a medical & psychological screening
- Once screenings are completed/approved, you will an official Egg donation South Africa (EDSA) Egg donor
- You will be added to our anonymous egg donor database where recipients can select you as their perfect egg donor
- Your Egg donation Coordinator will confirm details regarding your egg donation cycle/process
UNSURE OR HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
We are always on the look-out for egg donors to become part of our family, so if you have any more questions regarding egg donation, please contact:
Kinny Ramoeng
