3 Misconceptions About Egg Donation Donor Requirements And What You Need To Know If You Want To Be A Donor

If you are a healthy, relatively young female, then you may have heard that women can donate their eggs to help couples struggling with infertility finally have those babies they wish for. Not only do women who donate their eggs get to help others build the families they have dreamed of, but they are also typically generously compensated for their time spent working to produce multiple healthy eggs to donate. If you have thought about donating your eggs, but haven't yet made your final decision yet, then you may have heard of some misconceptions about who will qualify as a donor. Read on to learn the truth behind three common misconceptions about egg donation donor requirements. 

1. You Need "Perfect" Genes to Be an Egg Donor

Of course, if the infertile woman or couple who receives your egg donation is finally able to have a baby, then the baby's genes will be made up of both yours and the father's. You may worry that you will be told you cannot donate eggs due to your genes not being "perfect enough" based on any health conditions that run in your family. 

While fertility centers and the infertile couples they help do want a baby that is as healthy as possible, they also realize that no one has "perfect" genes. Most families have an illness or two that runs in the family, and if you pass the screening process and then donate your eggs, the infertile couple who receives your eggs will be fully aware of the results of your genetic testing and, along with the good judgement of their doctor, determine if your genes are a "good fit" with theirs medically. 

2. You Cannot Donate Eggs if You are Overweight

The healthier you are, the better the chances that you will be able to successfully produce several healthy eggs to donate to a needy couple. However, if you glance at the BMI chart at your doctor's office and notice that your BMI falls into the "overweight" zone or your doctor has even suggested that you lose a few pounds, that doesn't mean that you cannot donate your eggs if you are otherwise in good health. 

In fact, to donate eggs, your BMI only has to be lower than 28. According to BMI charts, a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered "overweight." So most women who are overweight can still become egg donors unless they fall into the very high end of the overweight BMI range or are obese. 

3. You Cannot Donate Eggs if You Have Ever Smoked

If you have already browsed egg donation websites and found that they will not accept eggs from women who smoke, then you may be under the misconception that you cannot donate eggs if you have ever smoked. The truth is that most infertility centers will allow ex-smokers to donate eggs as long as they abstain from smoking at least 3-6 months (this varies depending on where you donate your eggs) before beginning the pre-donation health screening process. 

If you really want to donate your eggs, but you smoke, then use this rule of egg donation as a great reason to improve your health by quitting smoking; once you quit, you can look forward to a healthier, smoke-free life and potentially qualifying to become an egg donor. 

If you want to donate eggs to help an infertile couple finally conceive a child, then don't let misconceptions about donor requirements keep you from at least applying to become an egg donor. You don't have to have "perfect" genes or be in perfect shape, and you can donate after you have quit smoking for a period of time. For more information, talk with a professional egg donation center, like Missouri Center for Reproductive Medicine.