As the demand for donor eggs continues to rise, many prospective donors may wonder about the frequency and limits of egg donation. In this blog, we will delve into the considerations surrounding how many times you can donate your eggs.Fairfax EggBank, follows the recommendations of The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the governing body of reproductive medicine, in allowing our donors to complete up to 6 cycles in a lifetime. The reason for the six-cycle recommendation is a precautionary measure. ASRM finds “no clear documented long-term risks” associated with egg donation. In the absence of data, ASRM aims to protect the donor against rare or unknown risks by capping lifetime donation cycles. At Fairfax EggBank, we take exceptional care of our donors. We monitor them carefully to reduce any risk of complications and maximize the chance of a successful egg donation cycle.
Reasons to Donate Eggs More Than Once
Most of our egg donors at Fairfax EggBank have donated more than once. Here are some of the most common reasons why.
Helping others is inspiring
Because of the donor’s efforts, someone out there is going to finally have a chance to conceive a baby. The realization that the donors are making impossible dreams come true often inspires them to donate again.
Being an egg donor isn’t as scary as you think
Some of our egg donors fear the pain of having to give themselves injectable medications. The truth is the needles are tiny. You typically feel the pinch of your skin, more than you feel the needle or injection. Most donors get used to them quickly. Some of our egg donors fear that the egg retrieval procedure is a painful surgery. The retrieval is a quick 20-minute outpatient procedure that you will be asleep for. You will wake up in the recovery room, relax for 30-60 minutes, and then go home to rest. You typically resume your normal activities and return to work/school the next day.After donors realize how little pain is involved, many feel like it’s an easy decision to return to donate again. Learn more from a donor’s perspective on how egg donation wasn’t painful.
It’s easy to return for another cycle
Once a donor completes a retrieval, her donation cycle is reviewed by a team of experts to determine if she is eligible to donate again. If approved, the donor can go right back into another cycle. Her coordinator will work on her next cycle and present dates to the donor.
Donation cycles don’t take that long
Each donation cycle takes about 2 weeks. There are 10 days – 3 weeks of birth control pills in preparation for each donation cycle. Monitoring visits are typically scheduled in the early morning, making it easy to fit the cycle into your life and allowing donors to donate over and over.
The reimbursement is substantial
Donors receive reimbursement for their time and efforts during their donation cycle. They receive reimbursement after completing each cycle. The total reimbursement can be quite substantial when the donor does more than one cycle. With this reimbursement, donors have been able to make meaningful contributions such as paying off student loans, putting down payments on a house, and buying a car.
Support and care of our team
First-time donors are never quite sure what to expect. They are relieved to find how caring our team is and how easy it is to get through a cycle with their support. Because of the high-quality care and personal support donors get throughout the process, returning to Fairfax EggBank for another cycle is that much easier.
So, How Many Times Can I Donate My Eggs?
If you’re applying to become an egg donor and are not sure whether you’re ready to do multiple egg donation cycles, that’s no problem. You don’t need to make the decision now. As you go through the egg donation process and experience what it feels like emotionally and physically, we find that most donors have such a great experience, and they want to continue to help others by doing more cycles. Fairfax EggBank follows ASRM Guidelines and will allow donors to complete up to 6 lifetime egg retrievals. Each donor cycle will be reviewed after every retrieval to see if the donor is eligible for another cycle. Ready to start the egg donation process? Complete an egg donor application.