An inside look at our detailed egg donor screening process

We believe that every egg bank should take their decision to approve donors extremely seriously. That is why, at Chosen Egg Bank, we are committed to a highly-rigorous and detailed egg donor screening process — with no stone left unturned in regards to our donors’ physical health, mental health, genetics, and background.

So, to help you better understand the process, we have created this guide to detail the stringent requirements to become an egg donor and provide an inside look at the beginning of the egg donation process. Keep reading to explore what an egg donation journey might look like for you.

The application

The first step is for potential donors to fill out a registration form with a short questionnaire to begin the process and determine preliminary eligibility for our program. For example, in order to protect the donor and the viability of their eggs, donors generally must be between the ages of 18 and 31 with a body mass index (BMI) 33 or lower in order to qualify.

Profile review

If a potential egg donor qualifies for our program, they move on to the next phase: building a comprehensive and detailed donor profile containing accurate and detailed personal information and medical history. The profile must include demographic information such as height, weight, age, body type, eye color, hair color/type, and skin color/tone as well as lifestyle habits, hobbies, and notable skills. If our potential donors have any athletic accomplishments or musical, writing, or artistic talents, we want to know about them! To complete the profile, donors supply 30 high-quality photos, both current and from childhood, and a two minute video.

Medical background

One of the most crucial parts of our screening includes medical background information. Our consultants discuss relevant topics with potential donors — covering their medical history, fertility status, genetic test results, and more. They will also discuss the results of their previous egg donations, if any.

Genetic screening

As a part of our medical screening, we dive into any available insights into a donor’s family, including information three generations back to cover the donor’s parents, siblings and grandparents. Donors are tested for genetic disorders, including Cystic Fibrosis and Thalassemia, and must have no genetic or hereditary medical conditions.

Physical examination

We also arrange a physical examination that may include a doctor consultation, along with several comprehensive tests to ensure our potential donors are in good health. Blood and urine tests are conducted to analyze the anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level, check for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, blood type, run a urinalysis, and do a drug screening to verify negative drug and smoking status. We also screen for our donors’ ovarian and reproductive health. This often includes a hormone blood test and a vaginal ultrasound. If the potential donor has a sexual partner, that partner may also be required to take blood tests to check for sexually transmitted diseases.

Psychological evaluation

It is crucial to us that all of our potential donors are in excellent mental health and truly understand the egg donation process. Each must be psychologically stable and emotionally prepared to become donors — especially because some might find it emotionally or psychologically stressful. A psychologist or social worker will administer a psychological evaluation containing a personality questionnaire covering why they have chosen to donate their eggs, interests, likes, dislikes, and other relevant topics.

The result: a proven track record of success

We credit our strict requirements to become an egg donor and our extensive screening process with playing an instrumental role in helping us achieve some of the industry’s most impressive statistics on successful births, including over 2,000 cycles performed with donor eggs, a 95% success rate in thawing eggs, and a 78% cumulative pregnancy success rate.

At Chosen Egg Bank, our detailed screening process is a part of our mission to provide the highest quality eggs for the families we serve and protect our donors in the process. As a result of our dedication and empathetic approach, we are proud to have a continuing relationship with many of our donors, and had the honor of supporting them through several rounds of egg donation. To learn more about their positive experiences, explore our donors’ journeys here.