Egg Donation

In egg donation, a donor, usually between ages 21 and 30, agrees to undergo screening, monitoring, and an egg retrieval procedure. She donates the eggs to an identified person or couple, or to an egg bank for later donation to the bank’s clients. It is generally acceptable to work with a donor who is known to the recipient due to family, friend, or community connections, but most intended parents find a donor through a matching program. Traditionally, this process was anonymous but the trend is moving toward more open arrangements. Also, because of at-home DNA testing and widespread information on the internet, truly anonymous donation is not a guarantee. It is now common for donation contracts to address future contact between the donor and the donor-conceived adult. There are relatively few laws that govern egg donation and any applicable law should be identified and carefully followed. In any event, it is best practice and protection for each party to have independent legal representation, psychological screening, and a written agreement. Your doctor may require this.