When you’re planning to donate your eggs, finding a fertility clinic near your home can go a long way in making the process easier and more comfortable.
But when you’re searching “egg donation near me,” the variety of options you find present a new question: How do I actually donate eggs, and which “near me” option is really right for my needs?
Read on to find out how to donate eggs near you and make the choice that’s also right for you.
Egg donation near me
Since 1984, egg donation has been helping intended parents grow their families, and about 3,000 donor conceived people are born every year in the US thanks to egg donors. It’s a big deal, so it’s probably no surprise that there is a lot involved to make sure everything goes right.
We work with fertility clinics all around the United States with our Split program, so much of the egg donation process can be done near you. We also work with intended parents around the country, so you don’t have to do the hard work of finding the right people
Here’s what donating eggs will look like:
Application
First thing’s first, you’ll fill out an application that includes information about your medical history and whether or not you have ever been pregnant or donated eggs.
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has eligibility rules for people who donate eggs, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has guidelines too. Your application allows our team to see if you meet those rules and guidelines. It’s also a chance for you to share information that might be of interest to intended parents down the line.
Interview
After your application is reviewed by the Freeze by Co team, you’ll get to talk to someone on the team. We’ll ask questions about you, including some family history and other background questions to gather more information that we will share with intended parents.
Don’t worry — you’ll get to ask questions too!
Matching with intended parents
Ultimately the goal of donating your eggs is to help a family who can’t otherwise conceive. But how do you find these people? We will help with that! Our platform connects amazing families and donors, helping make matches based on so many factors.
The Split matching process allows members and intended parents to work together to craft a go-forward plan that works for both parties. Do you want to receive updates from the donor-conceived family down the line? Do they want to be able to ask you questions, like “does someone in your family have red hair?!” after you donate your eggs?
These are all things to think about, and all things you can decide together before you donate your eggs.
Medical tests
Found the perfect match? Next, you’ll undergo some medical evaluations to make sure you are ready to donate your eggs.
The doctor will test you for things such as HIV and hepatitis, as well as genetic conditions that could be passed along through your egg such as spinal muscular atrophy or cystic fibrosis.
Psychological evaluation
It may sound a little daunting, but a psychological evaluation will be part of donating your eggs. This helps Split by Co ensure you are pursuing egg donation willingly and you’re ready for the next steps in the process.
Medications
The next step in egg donation involves taking injectable medications prescribed by a doctor at the fertility clinic near you. These medicines will stimulate your ovaries so they produce more eggs.
The medication stage of donating your eggs takes about 10 to 14 days, and you’ll make frequent visits to the clinic so the doctor can monitor how your ovaries are responding to the medicines. These monitoring appointments are relatively quick.
When choosing an egg donation option near you, you’ll want to consider whether or not you can make those frequent trips. Do you have transportation? Will you be able to take time away from work, school, or other commitments of your own for the clinic visits?
Egg retrieval
The final stage of egg donation is egg retrieval. You’ll head to the fertility clinic, and a reproductive endocrinologist will use a needle and special suction device to retrieve eggs from your ovaries. This is all done under light anesthesia and typically takes less than half an hour.
Our Split members have the option to freeze and store half of the eggs from this retrieval for up to 10 years for free. The other half of the eggs retrieved will go to the intended parents to help them take the next step toward becoming a donor-conceived family!
Bottom line
Wondering if you can donate your eggs with Freeze by Co? Check out qualifications to become a member, and take the quiz to see if it’s the right egg donation option for you.
Not only do Split members have frozen eggs to use in the future — and free storage for a decade — but you’ll also have access to the entire Freeze by Co community for support, plus our team for guidance along the way.
