Frequently Asked Questions

How many egg donor cycles have you been involved with?

The Center for Surrogacy & Egg Donation and its staff have been matching intended parents with egg donors since 1999. We have participated in over 500 donor cycles.

How do you recruit donors?

We recruit donors through a different online and other forms of advertising. We also have donors refer friends to our agency after having a good experience.

Are all donors on your website immediately available?

Once a donor is matched with intended parents, her profile is removed and added back only when she is ready to do another donor cycle.

Do you have donors of different backgrounds?

Yes. We strongly believe that there is a donor for everyone. We work with parents from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and recruit all different types of donors. Donors of Asian, African-American, Jewish and other backgrounds can be more difficult to find. We encourage women of all backgrounds to apply to be a donor through our program.

How do I reserve a donor?

When you find a Donor in the Donor Database whom you would like to work with, you can click the “Make Inquiry” button on her Profile. This will put you in contact with Liz Wagner, who will then contact you to discuss the Donor further. You are also welcome to contact us directly at any time by calling 508-460-0400

Will I meet the donor or have any direct contact with her?

Most egg donations are done anonymously. If you are doing an anonymous donor cycle, you will receive a lot of detailed information about the donor. She will receive some basic information about you. We believe it is important for the donor to feel a connection with you so that she is more committed to the process. If you want to have some contact with your donor, that contact can range from exchanging anonymous email addresses, having a phone call exchanging just first names or doing a completely known donor cycle. Your clinic may have restrictions on differing levels of contact so be sure to ask the coordinator at your clinic about this.

Will I be represented by an attorney?

Yes. The Center for Surrogacy & Egg Donation has teamed with the law firm of Nichols, DeLisle & Lightholder, P.C., a leading law firm specializing in reproductive law. Your donor will be represented by her own independent attorney with experience in reproductive law. An attorney from Nichols, DeLisle & Lightholder, P.C. will draft the egg donor agreement, review it in detail with you, negotiate the terms with the donor’s attorney, and provide the clinic with legal clearance upon completion.

How much does the egg donation process cost?

Please visit our Egg Donor Estimated Costs page for a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with the egg donation process. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the financial aspects of egg donation. We will be happy to answer all of your questions.

How long does it take to get to retrieval?

Although the timing can vary greatly from clinic to clinic, the screening appointment is usually scheduled within 1 - 2 months after the match and the retrieval happens approximately 2 months following the completion of the screening process.

What happens if my donor changes her mind or does not pass my clinic’s screening?

We try to ensure that all of our donors are educated on what is involved with becoming an egg donor and participating in an IVF cycle. However, the truth is that on rare occasions, donors change their minds or do not pass the screening at the IVF clinic. If this happens, we will match you with a new donor at no additional cost paid to the Center for Surrogacy & Egg Donation.

Why should I do a fresh donor cycle rather than purchase eggs from an egg bank?

There are many advantages to obtaining eggs from an egg bank. The donor has been fully screened and the eggs are already frozen. The cost of obtaining eggs from an egg bank are also less than doing a fresh donor cycle. However, the success rates using eggs from an egg bank are lower than doing a fresh donor cycle. In addition, you receive a limited number of eggs. This greatly reduces the chances of having extra frozen embryos if the first transfer is not successful or for a second pregnancy. Also, the chance that you will be able to have a genetic sibling are drastically diminished.

Can I do genetic testing on the embryos?

Yes. You should discuss this issue with your IVF clinic. Most clinics offer some form of genetic screening such as preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and comprehensive chromosomal screening (CCS). Doing any form of genetic testing requires that the embryos be frozen until the test results are known.

I am working with a surrogate. Should I choose a donor first or wait to be matched with a surrogate?

It depends. It typically takes longer to be matched with a surrogate than to find a donor. Many intended parents opt to match with a donor and do the egg retrieval while they are waiting to be matched with a surrogate. This allows the parents to know that they have embryos frozen that will be ready for when the surrogate has completed her screening. If you plan to do genetic testing on the embryos, this requires that the embryos be frozen. As such, there no reason to wait until you are matched with a surrogate to do the egg donor cycle.

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