Latest Egg Donation FAQs: Your Own Fertility and Egg Donor Criteria

Could you donate the most precious gift of all – the hope of a child? Our new egg donor appeals are resulting in a lot of responses from women across the North West region that want to donate eggs and help others have a baby, which is fantastic news.

We’re also receiving a lot of questions too, largely related to existing issues such as whether being sterilised prevents egg donation, how to get started and the issue of being an identifiable egg donor.

Our dedicated Donation Team answers all these questions and more in this week’s blog:

Can I donate eggs if I’ve been sterilised/had my tubes tied?

Yes - being sterilised doesn’t mean you can’t donate eggs. Although your fallopian tubes are blocked or clipped, this doesn’t interfere with ovarian function. You’ll still be ovulating, and so you’ll be able to donate eggs as long as you meet the other criteria for egg donation such as your age and health and your ovarian reserve – the number of eggs remaining - is good.

Can I donate eggs if I only have one fallopian tube?

Yes. Only having one fallopian tube won’t exclude you from being an egg donor. Your fallopian tubes (or lack of) have no impact on ovarian function.

Does egg donation affect my chances of future pregnancy?

Various studies have shown no effect on the fertility of egg donors in the months after egg donation. Your regular monthly cycle should return to normal fairly quickly after egg donation. You’ll only be donating a small number of eggs in your donation cycle, as we focus on quality - not quantity – of eggs. We also safeguard your fertility health through careful monitoring and tailored drugs protocols that use only the minimal stimulation to ensure a good number of eggs for donation.

I have an existing medical condition, but I would like to donate eggs?

Most medical conditions wouldn’t stop you donating eggs, unless they are considered hereditary or genetic. One of the main factors that would prevent you donating eggs is if there is history in your family of a condition, and how serious it is. Remember we have to ensure that the donor eggs we offer carry no risk – no matter how small – to any child born through your eggs. If you have a condition, we have to look at the nature of it and whether it could be passed on.

Do I get to choose whether I can be contacted in future by a donor-conceived person?

Since 2005, all egg donors in the UK have to be identifiable to people born through their eggs. It’s one of the conditions of egg donation, and the law was changed to give donor-conceived people the right to find out about their genetic heritage. But this doesn’t mean information about you is given out automatically.

When you become an egg donor, your information is stored by the UK fertility regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). It keeps a record of every egg donor and every child born through egg donation. When a donor-conceived person reaches age 18, they are legally able to apply to the HFEA for details about you as their egg donor, which could include identifying information. But it’s up to the donor-conceived person to do this.

They may not know they’re donor-conceived, or wish to find out who their egg donor is. They may get information about you, but not get in touch.

There are lots of possible scenarios regarding future contact; our counsellors will discuss these with you as part of your counselling sessions. So you’re prepared for the future and can donate eggs with confidence.

I’d like to donate eggs: How do I get started?

The first step is to complete our preliminary online application form. It’s a simple form that just takes minutes to complete, for us to establish if you’re suitable to be an egg donor and can progress further. Once you’ve applied, our Donation Team will review your application and be in touch.

More egg donation FAQs

You’ll find more egg donation FAQ responses in our blogs here and here, and our general egg donor FAQs. If you have a question about egg donation that we’ve not answered yet, have a chat to our Donation Team on 0161 300 2734 or email info@manchesterfertility.com