What Questions Should I Ask an Egg Donor Agency Before Moving Forward?

The decision to pursue parenthood with the help of an egg donor is a big life step. No matter what brought you to this moment, whether facing infertility, navigating LGBTQ+ family building, or taking the courageous step into solo parenthood, it's likely a mix of hope and caution. Embarking on the egg donation journey can feel exciting, like a huge wave of relief, yet also overwhelming. I know this because every day I work with families just like yours. And the one thing they all have in common is wanting to do the right thing for their family.

Organizations like Cofertility exist to help bridge this gap, and ensure that you increase your chances of having a healthy, happy child. 

We facilitate the matching process, provide support, and ideally make the experience smoother for intended parents. However, not all egg donation agencies take the same approach to screening, guarantees, and ethical considerations. To make an informed decision and find the best fit for your family, you’ll want to prepare a set of detailed questions you can ask when interviewing agencies. 

This article dives into those questions worth asking as you navigate the journey toward your dream of parenthood.

The donor screening process: depth, breadth, and beyond

• Medical screening: Inquire about the specifics of the medical screening process. What types of tests are done, and when? Are donors required to undergo detailed ultrasounds or other evaluations? Do they provide access to donors' full medical records?
• Psychological evaluation: A donor's emotional well-being is really important. Ask about the extent of the psychological assessments performed and how the agency evaluates mental health suitability.
• Genetic testing: Understanding the scope of genetic testing for inherited conditions is crucial to minimize potential risks to your future child. Find out what genetic carrier screenings are included and how the agency handles any positive results.
• Background and interests: While not always a deciding factor, understanding a donor's educational background, hobbies, talents, and life aspirations can offer enriching insights. Ask about the agency's approach to presenting this information in donor profiles.

Guarantees and success rates

• Blastocyst vs. Baby Guarantee: Ask about the types of guarantees the agency offers, if any. A blastocyst guarantee ensures you receive a certain number of viable blastocysts (early-stage embryos) during the IVF process. However, a baby guarantee entirely aligns your success with the agencies. 
• Statistical transparency: Request the agency's success rates. How many eggs do egg donors typically retrieve? Ask about their approach to addressing any failed cycles.
• Donor matching influence: Consider asking how the agency's donor selection process might influence success rates. 

Scope of services: where their work begins and ends

• Beyond the match: Inquire about the range of services offered by the agency. Do they provide legal consultation referrals, facilitate communication with your chosen donor, or offer guidance on financial arrangements?
• Post-match support: Learn about the agency's policy regarding post-match communication or potential updates between you, the donor, and any donor-conceived child, should all parties be interested in the future.
• Counseling and emotional well-being: Ask if the agency has counselors or therapists in their network to provide psychological support for intended parents and donors throughout the emotionally complex process.
• Donor support: Ask about how they support donors throughout the process. How do they educate donors on the journey, including medication management? 

Experience and expertise

• Donor options: How many donors do they currently have available to match? How often do they add new donors?
• Team credentials: A strong team is key, and an agency without a team page is a big red flag. Inquire about the qualifications of their staff. Do they have board-certified reproductive endocrinologists on board? Will you have a dedicated Member Advocate? Do they have dedicated counselors with expertise in egg donation? 
• Longevity and experience: Choosing an established agency with a proven track record offers peace of mind. How many years has the agency been in operation, and approximately how many successful donor matches have they facilitated?
• Affiliations: Are they a member of ASRM? A partner of SEEDS and Resolve? You’ll want to work with an agency that is affiliated with these industry organizations. 

Transparency, ethics, and finding the right fit

• Ethical considerations: Ensure the agency aligns with your values regarding ethical practices. Ask how they ensure informed consent for donors, how they consider the donor conceived child throughout the process, and transparency in every step of the process. 
• Financial clarity: Request a clear breakdown of fees associated with their services. This should include agency fees, donor compensation (or lack thereof!), and any additional charges related to medical procedures or legal matters. You’ll want to understand the all-in cost of the journey. 
• Their thoughts on anonymity: It is impossible to guarantee anonymity in egg donation. With widely available genetic testing and more state laws banning anonymous gamete donation, it’s increasingly likely that identity and shared genetics will be discovered. Beware of any agency promising an “anonymous” donor. 
• The human touch: Learn about the philosophy guiding the agency and the people behind its success. Ask about their mission statement, values, and what motivates them to do this work.

Intuition matters! When engaging with an agency, feel out their approach, responsiveness, and professionalism. Trusting your instincts alongside their qualifications is vital in choosing the right partner for your journey.

Find an amazing egg donor at Cofertility

At Cofertility, our program is unique. After meeting with hundreds of intended parents, egg donors, and donor-conceived people, we decided on an egg donation model that we think best serves everyone involved: egg sharing.

Here’s how it works: our unique model empowers women to take control of their own reproductive health while giving you the gift of a lifetime. Our donors aren’t doing it for cash – they keep half the eggs retrieved for their own future use, and donate half to your family.

We aim to be the best egg-sharing program, providing an experience that honors, respects, and uplifts everyone involved. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Human-centered. We didn’t like the status quo in egg donation. So we’re doing things differently, starting with our human-centered matching platform.
• Donor empowerment. Our model empowers donors to preserve their own fertility, while lifting you up on your own journey. It’s a win-win.
• Diversity: We’re proud of the fact that the donors on our platform are as diverse as the intended parents seeking to match with them. We work with intended parents to understand their own cultural values — including regional nuances — in hopes of finding them the perfect match.
• Baby guarantee. We truly want to help you bring your baby home, and we will re-match you for free until that happens.
• Lifetime support: Historically, other egg donation options have treated egg donor matching as a one-and-done experience. Beyond matching, beyond a pregnancy, beyond a birth…we believe in supporting the families for life. Our resources and education provide intended parents with the guidance they need to raise happy, healthy kids and celebrate their origin stories.

We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive. Create a free account to get started today!