Women need egg donors for a variety of reasons.
Donating your eggs
Egg donation is an amazing gift that could help another woman have a precious child of her own.
It takes a special person to consider donating your eggs, and we design your donation journey to ensure that you feel supported and valued throughout. Our top priority is your welfare and overall experience. You will receive excellent care and guidance throughout your journey with CARE.
Become an egg donor
Egg donation is an opportunity to give someone the chance of becoming a parent, and if you’re the kind of person who likes to help others it can be a truly rewarding experience. Your generosity can make a difference to someone's life.
We want to tell you absolutely everything you need to know about our egg donation process including where you can donate, the compensation payment of up to £750 to cover your time and expenses and lots more.
If you'd like to chat with one of our donor enquiry team, you can call them on 0808 178 2860. They will be happy to answer your questions and give you the information you need to help you decide.
Who needs donor eggs?
For thousands of women in the UK, donated eggs are their only hope of having a baby. There are several reasons why a woman might not be able to use her own eggs, including if she’s had cancer treatment, gone through the menopause early or her children are at risk of inheriting a serious genetic disease. Donating your eggs so that they can have a baby literally means the world to many of our patients.
Donating eggs in the UK
Egg donation is a very personal decision based on generosity and altruism. However, the health of our donors and children born is paramount, and there are some key criteria for our prospective egg donors:
- Your age should be between 18 and 35 as the quality of eggs can reduce after age 36
- You also need to be fit and healthy with no family history of hereditary illnesses
- For your safety, your BMI should be below 35.
If you fit these criteria, you could be exactly who we’re looking for.
“When I read about egg donation, I just instantly knew I was meant to do this. My only thought was, there are families out there who want a child, and this may be their only way. I need to give someone that chance. CARE were absolutely amazing from start to finish, I felt incredibly supported and informed throughout.”
How does egg donation work
Medical assessment
Before you can undergo the egg donation procedure, after you get in touch, we’ll ask you to fill out a detailed medical questionnaire before you meet a nurse from our donation team. They’ll discuss the whole egg donation process with you in detail, and you'll also need some blood tests and an ultrasound scan to check you're suitable to donate your eggs.
Support and counselling for egg donors
Choosing to donate your eggs is a personal, and important, decision. So, after you’ve talked through the process with our donation team we’ll also invite you to meet one of our experienced counsellors. They’ll talk to you about the ethical implications of egg donation and listen to any thoughts or worries you might have.
Egg donation consultation
Once you’re happy to go ahead with egg donation, you’ll then meet one of our consultants. They’ll assess whether you’re suitable to be an egg donor, describe the donation journey in detail, and make a final decision. If they decide you fit our criteria things can move quickly; you might start the process as soon as two to four weeks later.
Beginning the egg donation procedure
The first step of the donation process is to stimulate your ovaries. To do this, you’ll need to give yourself daily injections for around twelve days. During this time, you'll also need to come into the clinic on three or four mornings for ultrasound scans and blood tests.
Giving consent
Before we collect your eggs we’ll ask you to sign a consent form. This document not only grants permission for us to collect your eggs, but also establishes what you’d like us to do with your eggs in a number of different scenarios.
Egg collection
The technique we use to collect your eggs will be exactly the same as the one we use in an IVF cycle. Using ultrasound as a guide, we use a needle to extract eggs from the ovarian follicles; it only takes about 30 minutes and is carried out under sedation or local anaesthetic. At most you’ll feel a few twinges, but we’d recommend having a short rest before going home.
After egg donation
After donating your eggs you’ll be entitled to find out if any babies are born as a result, the year they’re born in, and whether they’re a boy or girl. You can also write a brief goodwill message, which can be given to those children when they turn 18; you might like to tell them about how it felt to help their parents, your hobbies, or just how your friends would describe you.
If a child is born from your donation, they might choose to request information about who you are when they turn 18. Your counsellor can talk to you all about this during your session.
Where can I donate my eggs near me?
If you are interested in becoming an egg donor, we really appreciate your thoughtfulness. You can donate your eggs at all main CARE clinics.
If you'd like to chat with one of our donor enquiry team, you can call them on 0808 178 2860.
Thank you to our donors
"Donors are truly an inspiration and I see the wonderful impact they have on creating life. I share the joy their gift brings to recipients – it is an amazing gift."
Selina, CARE Donation team
Your egg donation questions answered
Women who become egg donors receive compensation of £750 for each donation cycle.
It's extremely unlikely that donating your eggs will have any negative effects on your own fertility.
You'll have to have daily injections.
You'll need to come into the clinic between 4 and 6 times.
One of the first things you complete is a detailed medical questionnaire.
We'll do whatever we can to make sure your donation isn't too disruptive.
The daily injections may produce a little discomfort but the egg collection will not hurt.
Egg collection is a non-surgical procedure.
You’ll want to rest for at least two hours.
You can find out if any babies have been born.
They will be unable independently to trace you, and will have to apply to the HFEA for release of any information.
No, you will not be financially or legally liable.
Donations are done anonymously.
You will be paid £750 compensation for your donation at any one of our CARE Clinics. The full list of the clinics where you can donate can be found above.
It is an internal vaginal scan.
Women who become egg donors receive compensation of £750 for each donation cycle.
It's extremely unlikely that donating your eggs will have any negative effects on your own fertility.
You'll have to have daily injections.
You'll need to come into the clinic between 4 and 6 times.
One of the first things you complete is a detailed medical questionnaire.
We'll do whatever we can to make sure your donation isn't too disruptive.
The daily injections may produce a little discomfort but the egg collection will not hurt.
Egg collection is a non-surgical procedure.
You’ll want to rest for at least two hours.
You can find out if any babies have been born.
They will be unable independently to trace you, and will have to apply to the HFEA for release of any information.
No, you will not be financially or legally liable.
Donations are done anonymously.
You will be paid £750 compensation for your donation at any one of our CARE Clinics. The full list of the clinics where you can donate can be found above.
It is an internal vaginal scan.
