Egg Donation Advice: Choosing the Right Clinic to Donate Your Eggs

If you’re interested in egg donation, how do you decide which clinic is right for you? Egg donors are needed right across the UK, and many fertility clinics now operate their own egg donor programmes.

At Manchester Donors we have set the standard for egg donor care in the UK. We were the first clinic in the country to be named a Centre of Excellence by the National Gamete Donation Trust (NGDT), the UK’s charity for gamete donation.

Every aspect of our egg donor journey was scrutinised by the NGDT, which recognised that we not only excel in all areas of clinical practice, but that we value and treat our egg donors with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Here’s our advice on some key things to consider when choosing a clinic to donate eggs, so you make the most informed decision possible about whether it’s the right egg donor programme for you:

Support:Is there a proven support network in place for you as an egg donor that understands your needs? Although our entire clinic team takes care of you at Manchester Donors – from our fertility consultants to our nurses – we also have a dedicated egg donation team specifically to support our egg donors throughout the process.

Medical care:Will you receive expert medical care throughout your egg donation journey? All Manchester Donors egg donors have consultant-led care. Cycles are planned by our fertility consultants with donors carefully monitored throughout the donation process to ensure wellbeing.

All Manchester Donors egg donors are given a fertility medication protocol unique to them, that’s focused on the quality, not quantity, of eggs. Through personalised protocols and monitoring, we ensure ovarian stimulation is safe, and highly effective at reducing any potential risks.

Counselling:In line with the rules set out by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), all egg donors must be offered counselling. But whilst it’s mandatory, does the clinic place enough emphasis on its importance? Is the counselling team experienced in egg donor issues and its lasting implications, including the right of donor-conceived people to find out who their donor is when they reach the age of 18?

Manchester Donors counsellors are British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA) accredited, and have many years expertise in helping women decide if egg donation is right for them. They’ll explain the full story of egg donation to you, and how it can affect you and any family you have not just now but in the future. So you can become an egg donor with confidence.

Transparency:Is the egg donor clinic open and transparent about the egg donor process? Do you know exactly how it works, and what’s expected of you during your egg donation cycle? Has the clinic explained how compensation for egg donors works?

When you first come to see us at Manchester Donors, we’ll run through the process with you, and its timescales, so you get a clear understanding of the commitment it takes to be an egg donor right at the start.

Partner or family involvement: Have you been advised to discuss egg donation with wider family? We always recommend discussing egg donation with partner and family – you’re invited to being someone to counselling as well - as the implications of egg donation can affect everyone.

Your Rights: Does the clinic make sure you fully understand your rights, including your rights over your donated eggs? As an egg donor you’re also entitled to know if a baby is born using your eggs, the year of its birth and its gender. Do they also have the right procedures in place to ensure your consent forms are completed accurately?

Follow-up: Does the clinic follow up with you after egg donation? After egg retrieval egg donors are looked after on our private ward by our team of nurses. You’re given full recovery instructions including details of our emergency 24/7 helpline, and we’ll also call you to ensure you’re well in the days after egg donation.

If you need further advice on egg donation, or have any questions about selecting an egg donation clinic, our friendly team can help. Just call us on 0161 300 2734.

If you’re aged 18-35 and would like to apply to join our Manchester Donors programme, complete our simple preliminary application form here.