Who Will Use My Donated Eggs?

When you donate eggs, you might assume your eggs are most likely to be used by an older woman.

Lots of older women including celebrities are now having families later in life thanks to egg donors. In the UK, women aged 44 and above are the biggest age group using donor eggs to conceive with their partners according to latest HFEA figures.

But older women aren’t the only ones we see who need donor eggs.

Typical situations for using donor eggs

The need for an egg donor can affect someone of any age. When you donate to Manchester Donors, your eggs are just as likely to be used by a woman who needs donor eggs because of: 

• Previous medical treatment for cancer: Chemotherapy can affect fertility and mean donor eggs are the only hope of starting a family. 

• Premature Menopause or Premature Ovarian Failure: This means the ovaries have stopped working too early, so eggs aren’t being produced anymore. 

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Although many women with PCOS can get pregnant, in some women PCOS can affect egg quality, which usually results in failed IVF. Donor eggs give a better chance of conceiving successfully. 

• Endometriosis: Endometriosis ranges in severity and in some cases if the condition is extensive affecting ovarian function, donor eggs may be the best option for pregnancy. 

• A genetic or hereditary condition that has a high risk of being passed onto a child: Some women opt to use donor eggs as it gives them the opportunity to still achieve pregnancy and give birth.

Some women know in advance that they’re likely to need donor eggs, but for other women it’s a decision that only arises when IVF fails or they have repeated failed pregnancies. Thanks to our egg donors, we have donor eggs ready to help.

Can you choose who uses your donated eggs?

You can’t choose who uses your donor eggs. When you join Manchester Donors, you’ll be added to our egg donor database. Patients who need donor eggs can then choose you as their egg donor, based on the personal profile you complete.

Finding out if your recipient has a baby and future contact

If you want to know, we can tell you if the woman who receives your donated eggs achieves pregnancy and has a baby. You’re allowed to know the year of the baby’s birth and its gender.

Although you won’t be given any identifying details, it’s possible you may hear from the child in future. All donor-conceived people have the right to apply to the HFEA for donor details when they turn 18 years old.

But it’s important to remember that it’s up to the donor-conceived person to initiate contact. It all depends on whether they want to know who you are or are even aware they are donor-conceived. We’ll talk you through this in pre-donation counselling, so you’re aware of what might happen in future and understand its implications.

Donate eggs with Manchester Donors

Explore criteria and apply online if you’d like to join Manchester Donors and help someone unable to conceive to have a family. We’re an NGDT Centre of Excellence for egg donation, giving you the reassurance of exceptional care and support when you join our donor programme.