Egg Donation

Conveniently located in Morrisville, near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill.

For More Information 855-855-6484

The Duke Fertility Center's team of fertility specialists helps you understand what's involved and supports you through the process. We are conveniently located in Morrisville, which provides easy access from Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill.

Becoming an egg donor allows you to be part of a life-changing experience for people dreaming of a family. However, it is important to know that becoming an egg donor requires multiple screenings, doctor visits, and more. 

You will be compensated $7,500 as an egg donor at the egg retrieval appointment.

Complete an Application of Interest

If you are interested in becoming an egg donor, please complete the application here. A nurse will contact you to discuss the next steps after it is submitted.

Why Become an Egg Donor

Learning what motivates you to become an egg donor is part of the initial screening process. Our fertility specialists and psychologists discuss why you’re exploring egg donation so you and our team can better understand what’s important to you.

Most people donate to help someone achieve their dream of having a family. While egg donors receive compensation, financial gain is not the main reason donors choose this path.

 

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Becoming an Egg Donor Process

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility and Informational Survey

The process starts by talking with a donor nurse coordinator, who gathers information to understand your family medical history and ensure you meet the following health requirements:

To be eligible:

  • First-time donors must be between 21 and 30 years old. If you’ve previously had a successful donation, you may be eligible to donate up to age 35.
  • Body mass index (BMI) must be between 20 and 30.
  • No tobacco, nicotine, or drugs use.

After meeting the eligibility requirements, you will complete an in-depth survey requesting additional medical information and insight to get to know you better. 

For example, there might be questions about your strengths and hobbies. This allows the Duke Fertility Center to create a fuller profile of who you are.

Step 2: In-Depth Screening

After we evaluate your application, you may be contacted to schedule two appointments with our staff. 

  • First appointment: in-person physical and pelvic exam. Blood is drawn to test for genetic disorders and infectious diseases.
  • Second appointment: psychological screening, which includes an interview and written questionnaires. 

The appointments help us determine if you’re a good match for egg donation. if you are, you’ll be entered into our donor registry.

Duke Fertility Center

Visit our Morrisville location, which offers easy access from Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and other parts of the Triangle.

What to Know About Egg Donation

Donating is a safe process. If you choose to donate, you can still have children. 

According to peer-reviewed medical research by the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, there is NO link between egg donation and:

  • Infertility
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Any other diseases

Egg retrieval is a minimally invasive procedure with medication to block pain.

Issues with Hormone Injections May Occur

Hormone injections used to stimulate egg production may cause soreness at the injection site. The hormones may cause:

  • Fatigue
  • Cramping
  • Mood swings
  • Temporary water weight gain
  • Headaches 

On rare occasions, you may temporarily develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which can cause a temporary shift in fluid levels in your ovaries, abdominal pain, and a general feeling of illness. Often, these symptoms go away on their own, but severe cases require a hospital visit to drain fluid.

You’ll receive a hormone injection that reduces the potential for OHSS. Your providers will discuss OHSS and other potential complications during your first visit.

Getting Pregnant After Egg Donation

Donating does not impact your production of eggs in the future or prevent you from having your own children. 

Additional Insurance Coverage

As an added layer of security, egg recipients provide donors with medical insurance coverage that covers egg cycle-related complications. This includes:

  • Your exams
  • Any medical treatment related only to your donation that takes place immediately before, during, and after the donation. 

This coverage is provided at no cost to you and cannot be used for any other appointments or treatments. It lasts throughout the donation process and three months after you donate.

It is in addition to the insurance you may already have. You do not need to change and should not discontinue your current health insurance.

Duke Fertility Center staff will file all necessary paperwork on your behalf and ensure you’re covered. Our team will provide you with a special insurance card for this additional medical coverage during and after the donation process.

Timing

There is no timeline for how long you may wait between completing all your screenings and when an ideal match is made with a potential recipient.

Matches are based on the preference of the recipient with guidance from Duke providers. The donation process doesn’t begin until there’s a match.

Anonymity

With the rise of publicly available genetic testing, lifelong, completely anonymous donation is not possible. However, Duke Fertility offers various donor/recipient contact methods. 

Your options are:

  • Identified before or at the time of the donation
  • After the donor-conceived child has reached age 18
  • Not to be identified

We will not intentionally share your name or contact information with the egg recipient or with future children unless you authorize it. 

Our goal is to respect your privacy as well as support you and the recipient's family with common information needs. 

A full explanation of the latest practices around de-identifying information is in the donor consent form. This will be discussed and explained further during your psychologist visit.

Donor Sibling Registry

You may be part of the Donor Sibling Registry, a non-profit organization that provides donors and recipients a way to communicate anonymously. Joining is optional.

This can be helpful if you or the egg recipient has questions about your health history after the donation. 

Duke Fertility annually updates its program to provide recipients and donors with the most up-to-date health information after the match.

Alcoholic Consumption Guidelines

It’s safe for donors to have one alcoholic drink per day before beginning the donation process, in line with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control. 

A donor should not consume alcohol immediately before donation or during the stimulation cycle.

Call for an Appointment

The Egg Donation Process

Once you’re matched with a recipient, we will work with you and your recipient to create a timeline for the donation cycle. 

Step 1: Learn to Use Medications

At your first visit, you will be prescribed oral contraceptive pills to help balance your hormones and allow you and the recipient to match ovulation cycles. It’s typical to take this medication for up to four weeks. 

Once your cycle is in sync with the egg recipient’s, you will start the fertility injections to stimulate egg production. These injections typically take place two or three times a day for eight to 12 days. 

You’ll also visit our clinic for checkups so we can monitor your response to the medications. 

Visits may include a vaginal ultrasound and blood work to check your hormone levels.

Step 2: Egg Retrieval Procedure

Once the fertility injections are complete, you return to the Duke Fertility Center for an outpatient egg retrieval procedure. 

You will receive an anesthetic drug to help you sleep during the 45-minute, minimally invasive procedure. 

A small needle is inserted through the vagina to retrieve eggs from the ovaries.

Step 3: Recovery

We monitor you while you rest at our clinic for about an hour after the egg retrieval. 

You must have a support person drive you home and stay with you for 24 hours after the procedure. You'll continue to rest at home while the sedation medication wears off. 

Most donors resume normal activities the following day. You may feel slight bloating or cramps that can be alleviated with pain medication like ibuprofen. 

You may be restricted from sexual intercourse or intense exercise during the stimulation cycle and for up to two weeks after the retrieval.

Consistently Ranked Among the Nation’s Best Hospitals

Duke University Hospital is proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide. They are why we are once again recognized as the best hospital in North Carolina, and nationally ranked in 11 adult and 10 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report for 2024–2025.

After Your Egg Donation - Compensation

As an egg donor, you will be compensated $7,500 at the egg retrieval appointment. 

This payment is made by check and is taxed by the IRS. You will receive a W-2 form to file with your taxes the year you receive the payment. 

Our financial coordinator will walk you through these steps. If the donation is canceled for medical reasons or the recipient cancels the procedure, you’ll receive a portion of the $7,500. The exact amount will be outlined in consent forms once you are matched.

Donating Eggs More Than Once

After a successful first donation, you may be eligible to donate additional eggs up to five more times up to age 35. 

A successful donation occurs when you have a safe response to the medications, an egg is retrieved, and healthy embryos or a pregnancy are achieved. 

There is no required waiting period to donate consecutive eggs. Donation is reliant on matching with a recipient, which has no set time frame. 

To remain an active donor, you’ll need to update your medical records every six months and psychological records every year.

This page was medically reviewed on 07/23/2024