So, you’re interested in “selling your eggs”
Our team has worked in the fertility and egg donation field for over a decade helping hopeful parents find egg donors and build their families. We are not an agency or clinic, and we don’t handle egg donor recruitment, but we still hear the same questions all the time.
“Can I sell my eggs?”
“How much does selling eggs pay?”
“Are there ‘selling your eggs’ requirements?”
We are dedicated to providing people the information they need to truly understand the egg donation process. The egg donation process is relatively new compared to other fertility procedures, and it still carries an unfair stigma. Many parents are cautious about pursuing egg donation or speaking openly about their egg donation experiences, and only recently have we seen a change as more people speak out.
Egg donation and fertility in general can be a space that is full of confusion, misinformation, and secrecy, but that tide is starting to turn. We truly want to educate people on all sides of egg donation about the egg donation process. So, let’s clear some things up… starting with the question: “How do I sell my eggs?”
When you talk about “selling my eggs,” you really mean egg donation
First things first – you don’t actually sell your eggs. We understand what you mean when you ask about selling your eggs, but it’s important to use the correct terminology. The correct term is egg donation, not selling your eggs. You may be thinking, “what’s the big deal? What’s the difference?”
Trust us, the distinction is important. As of 1984 when the National Organ Transplant Act was passed, selling organs and tissues is illegal in the United States. There are several reasons why this law is incredibly important in the medical field. First, lawmakers want to ensure that the wealthy do not have an unfair advantage to access transplants and donated tissues. Secondly, tissue donation of any sort is a gift, and donors shouldn’t feel coerced into donating for financial reasons.
Another reason why it’s important? Egg donation is a process that involves people, not products. Speaking about tissue donation this way can be harmless – but it can also be dehumanizing to donors, parents, and donor conceived people. We support the people involved on all sides of this process, and we want to make sure they are heard and recognized.
Egg donors are fairly compensated
It is important that all parties involved in egg donation understand that it is a donation – a gift, rather than simply selling eggs. With that being said, the egg donation process is complex and takes place over several weeks if not months. Egg donors undergo screenings, medical treatments, and the retrieval procedure, and they absolutely deserve to be compensated for their time.
It’s natural for women considering egg donation to wonder about compensation and how much you get for donating your eggs. There is no standard egg donor compensation fee in the U.S. Egg donor compensation varies widely based on location, manner of egg donation, and more factors. Egg donation can be disruptive to a donor’s schedule – doctor’s appointments to attend, hormone injections, any necessary travel, and preparation and recovery for the retrieval – and these costs must be paid by the intended parents. Typical donor compensation is around $8,000 for one cycle, although again this can vary dramatically depending on specific circumstances.
Is it as simple as “selling your eggs?” Why women really donate
Plenty of people toss around the idea of “selling my eggs” as a harmless joke or throwaway comment. We are glad that people are having these conversations – there is more awareness around egg donation today than ever before. But the fact of the matter is that women don’t do it simply for the compensation or because they had a spur-of-the-moment idea to “sell eggs.”
Egg donation is an involved process. The first step is a series of psychological and medical screenings to ensure that a woman is healthy enough and psychologically and emotionally prepared to donate. These screenings eliminate many candidates who are unprepared, not serious about egg donation, or do not meet requirements. Women who donate their eggs receive extensive information about the egg donation process: the hormone injections they must take, the retrieval procedure, the possibility of future contact with the child, and more.
It is safe to say that these steps filter out anyone who is not serious about donating their eggs. Contemplating or joking about selling eggs does not mean you are psychologically prepared for the reality of egg donation. In our experience, most women who donate eggs truly do it for altruistic reasons. Most commonly, they know someone who struggled with infertility and saw the difference egg donation can make for hopeful parents struggling to have children.
Still interested in egg donation?
Jokes about egg donation aside, let’s get serious! Egg donation is a real commitment and a huge gift to directly help couples start their family. We celebrate and applaud the selfless women who sacrifice their time and effort to help start families. If you have considered “selling your eggs” – which you know by now is really donating your eggs – and are seriously interested in giving this gift to a family in need, then we encourage you to do your research and ensure you’re emotionally prepared.
