Become a Donor

Why Should I Donate My Eggs?

Becoming an egg donor is a unique opportunity to assist others in fulfilling their dream of becoming parents. Many individuals and couples struggle with infertility and cannot become pregnant without the assistance of an egg donor. We also work with many prospective parents in the LGBT community who need the assistance of an egg donor to start or complete their families. There are thousands of people searching for an egg donor like you who will give them hope. Your generous donation of eggs will give someone who is experiencing infertility the opportunity to experience the joy of parenthood.

In addition to the personal satisfaction you will get from helping create a family, you will receive compensation for your time and inconvenience. All of your expenses are paid by the recipients, including travel fees when applicable. There is absolutely no cost to you.

The BHED Egg Donor Application Process

The ideal BHED egg donor is a woman between the ages of 21 and 29 who lives a healthy life, has a clean medical history. Additionally, we look for a donor who has completed some post-high-school studies, and is genuinely committed to the donation process.

The application process begins with our prescreening questionnaire that prospective egg donors complete online to help us determine if you are a potential candidate. If you meet our initial selection criteria, you will be notified that you can proceed to our long-form application, where you will complete your personal profile. The personal profile is one of the most important tools in assessing your suitability to become an egg donor. All information in your application is kept secure on our password-protected website.

Your profile will include information about you, your family, and your medical history, as well as a personal photo gallery. Once completed, your application will be reviewed. Should you meet all our program requirements you will be invited to an in-person or Skype interview, depending on where you are located. The interview is your opportunity to ask any questions about egg donation, and our opportunity to obtain additional information that will help us make our final determination.

If you are accepted into the egg donation program, your profile will become accessible to our registered recipients (also known as “Intended Parents”). The recipients will NOT see your personal contact information, including your last name, address, etc..Prior to your profile being activated, we require a current STD test and recent PAP smear. 

Some behaviors/conditions automatically disqualify women from our program.

These include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. If you have been diagnosed with syphilis, chlamydia, or certain other infectious diseases within the last year (if treated, you must be disease-free for at least 12 months)
2. If you have a BMI (body mass index) which is beyond the currently accepted “healthy” levels
3. If you have traveled to or lived in the UK or Europe for 5 years during FDA-designated “mad cow risk” time periods
4. If you have a medical and/or family history of birth defects that required surgery (such as cleft lip, spina bifida, or a heart defect), Huntington's disease, hemophilia, Tay-Sachs disease, sickle cell anemia, major medical problems, mental disabilities, or psychiatric problems
5. If you have injected drugs or engaged in prostitution within the last five years
6. If you are a carrier of the gene or genetic mutation for certain diseases and syndromes
7. If you can’t pass a drug test, which also includes tests for alcohol and nicotine
8. If you have travelled to a Zika-affected country, you are not eligible to donate for six months
9. If you have received a tatoo or body piercing in the last 12 months. 

Once You Are Matched

The match begins when you are notified that recipients have selected you and you accept the match in writing.

To get started, you will have a consultation with a psychologist, who will determine if you are prepared to undertake and complete the donation process. You will also speak with a genetic counselor, who will ask detailed questions about your and your family’s medical history. Once these consultations are completed, you will go to the recipients’ fertility clinic for a thorough medical examination, including pelvic exam, bloodwork, and a transvaginal ultrasound to examine your ovaries. These evaluations are paid for by the recipients, and are necessary to ensure you are capable of completing the egg donation cycle safely and successfully.

After you have been medically cleared by the doctor, the legal contract between you and the recipients will be drafted. You will have a reproductive attorney who will review the contract with you to ensure that you understand all aspects of the donation process, including your responsibilities as a donor. Your attorney’s fees are paid for by the recipients.

Once the screening is completed and the contract is signed, you will receive your cycle calendar. The cycle will sometimes begin with a few weeks of birth control pills (to synchronize your menstrual cycle with the recipient’s). The next step is to stimulate egg production. You will be given follicle-stimulating hormones via injection for approximately nine to 12 days to increase the number of mature eggs your body will produce. You will be given instructions on how to properly administer the injections yourself. If you are unable to administer the injections yourself, you will have to arrange for someone to administer them for you. While you are taking the injectable medication, you will have frequent monitoring appointments with the doctor. These appointments will consist of blood tests and ultrasounds to determine the progress of follicle growth.

Once the follicles are mature, the doctor will set the date and time for your egg retrieval. Approximately 36 hours before retrieval, you will be given an injection to ensure that your eggs are ready to be harvested. The egg retrieval is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that requires a light general anesthetic and lasts about 20 to 30 minutes. The doctor will use a small ultrasound-guided needle inserted through the vagina to aspirate the follicles in both ovaries. Immediately following the surgery, you will rest in the recovery room for an hour or two.

Due to the administration of general anesthesia, you will need a companion to drive you home. You may not take an Uber or taxi home from your egg retrieval. It can take up to a week to fully recover, but generally donors return to normal activities the next day.

Things to Consider

As with any medical procedure, there are possible side effects and risks. Some women feel no or slight discomfort during their egg donation cycle. Others have varying symptoms which typically disappear following the retrieval procedure. In some cases, you might feel bloating, abdominal pain, pressure, and swelling, all of which will go away by your next period. Severe side effects are rare; the doctor will explain the various risks to you. Egg donation cycles have been done since 1984, with more than 10,000 retrievals annually in the US alone. There are no proven long-term effects of egg donation on a woman’s health or fertility.

Because pregnancy is a risk while on follicle-stimulating hormones, you will be required to abstain from sex while on these injections. You will also be asked to refrain from drinking alcohol and taking certain medications. The doctor will explain these restrictions to you in detail.

The time, attention to detail, and patience required of an egg donor is substantial. For your time, energy, and commitment, you are compensated twice: once with a financial payment and once with the sense of fulfillment you receive from helping to complete a family. First-time BHED donors receive a fee of $10,000 (higher for repeat egg donors and donors with certain attributes).

Donor Frequently Asked Questions

• Will I Have to Travel for My Donation?
• How Do I Apply to be a Beacon Hill Egg Donation Donor?
• Who Can Be An Egg Donor?
• If I am accepted into the Beacon Hill Egg Donation program, how long will it take for me to be matched with a recipient?
• Will the Recipients Know Who I Am?
• Once I’m Matched, How Long Will the Cycle Take?
• What is the Compensation?

Q: Will I Have to Travel for My Donation?

We work with many recipients and clinics in the Boston area, as well as across the United States. If you decide to accept a match with a recipient whose clinic is out of your local area, you will be required to travel. All of your travel expenses will be taken care of. Some of your appointments can usually be done at a doctor's office near you. You will likely need to be near the clinic where the retrieval is taking place for a week to 10 days. Each match has its own travel requirements, and you will be informed of the timeframe applicable to your match once you meet the doctor. If you accept a travel match, Beacon Hill Egg Donation will make your arrangements, and you will be allowed to bring a companion with you at no cost to you.

Q: How Do I Apply to be a Beacon Hill Egg Donation Donor?

The application process begins with our online prescreen questionnaire that helps us determine if you are a potential candidate for egg donation. If you meet our initial criteria, you will be notified that you can proceed to our long-form application, where you will complete your personal profile.

All information in your application is kept secure on our password-protected website.

Your profile will include information about you, your family, and your medical history, as well as a personal photo gallery. Once completed, your application will be reviewed by Beacon Hill Egg Donation staff. Should you meet all our program requirements, you will be invited to an in-person or Skype interview, depending on where you are located. The interview is your opportunity to ask any questions about egg donation, and our opportunity to obtain additional information that will help us make our final determination.

If you are accepted into our egg donation program, your profile will become accessible to our registered recipients. The recipients will NOT see your personal contact information (last name, address, etc). Before we add your profile to our donor database, we require current STD test results and a recent PAP smear report.

Some behaviors/conditions automatically disqualify women from our program. These include, but are not limited to:

1. If you have been diagnosed with syphilis, chlamydia, or certain other infectious diseases within the last year (if treated, you must be disease-free for at least 12 months)
2. If you have a BMI (body mass index) which is beyond the currently accepted “healthy” levels
3. If you have traveled to or lived in the UK or Europe for 5 years during FDA-designated “mad cow risk” time periods
4. If you have a medical and/or family history of birth defects that required surgery (such as cleft lip, spina bifida, or a heart defect), Huntington's disease, hemophilia, Tay-Sachs disease, sickle cell anemia, major medical problems, mental disabilities, or psychiatric problems
5. If you have injected drugs or engaged in prostitution within the last five years
6. If you are a carrier of the gene or genetic mutation for certain diseases and syndromes
7. If you can’t pass a drug test, which also includes tests for alcohol and nicotine
8. If you have travelled to a Zika-affected country, you are not eligible to donate for six months
9. If you got a tattoo or body piercing in the last 12 months

Ready to Apply?

{insert Apply to Become a Beacon Hill Egg Donation donor button here}

Still have questions?

We’re here to provide any information you need about our program and how you can help give an incredible gift to a deserving individual or couple. Please contact Tamara at tamara@bhed.com or {new office number TBD}.

Q: Who Can Be An Egg Donor?

Beacon Hill Egg Donation donors are women ages 21-29 with no major genetic/hereditary illnesses. They don’t smoke, and they live a healthy lifestyle. We look for donors who are currently attending or have graduated from college, and who are genuinely committed to the egg donation process. If you have questions about whether you qualify to be an egg donor, please ask us!

Q: If I am accepted into the Beacon Hill Egg Donation program, how long will it take for me to be matched with a recipient?

Because choosing an egg donor is an extremely personal and emotional decision, the time it takes for a donor to be matched with the right family varies. It can happen immediately, or it may take a month or longer.

Q: Will the Recipients Know Who I Am?

Many recipients — also called intended parents — hope to give their donor-conceived child the option of meeting the donor when s/he reaches the age of 18, so being open to that is generally preferred. Some recipients request a brief Skype call with their prospective donor (without exchanging last names or contact information), while others ask to see a short video of the donor to get a sense of her personality and mannerisms. We strongly encourage (but do not require) our donors to participate in these calls and make these videos to facilitate the matching process.

In some cases, both recipient and donor want to have an “open donation” and exchange names and contact information, while in other situations, all parties agree on an anonymous cycle. We are happy to speak with you about your options and what feels right for you.

Q: Once I’m Matched, How Long Will the Cycle Take?

From the day you accept the match until the eggs are retrieved, cycles generally take 3-4 months. If you have donated eggs before, the egg donation cycle may be completed more quickly. 

Q: What is the Compensation?

Egg donors are compensated for the gift of hope they give to families. Beacon Hill Egg Donation donors receive $8,000 for their first donation. For subsequent cycles, donors receive $10,000. Special fees may be offered to egg donors who meet extraordinary standards.