Why is egg donation needed?
Many couples are unable to conceive without the assistance of an egg donor. This may occur because the ovaries have never developed properly (eg. Turner’s Syndrome), because of ovarian failure (premature menopause) or following failed IVF treatments where there haven’t been enough eggs produced or the quality of eggs is poor. In some cases, surgery or treatment for cancer (ie. radiotherapy or chemotherapy) may have resulted in the ovaries being unable to produce eggs. Some people who carry a genetic disorder may risk passing it on to their child so they too look for treatment with donor eggs. Donor eggs are also required where there is an absence of an egg provider i.e. same sex male couple or transgender relationship.
What is involved in becoming an egg donor?
Donating eggs is something that requires careful consideration, but if it’s right for you then you have the potential to give the joy of starting a family to those people in Scotland who need help becoming parents. You can find information below and on www.eggsandsperm.scot.
If you meet the criteria of becoming an egg donor at our centre, you will be required to complete consent forms and attend a number of appointments at our centre. Egg donors are carefully screened for transmissible infections and certain genetic (inherited) diseases, and will have the opportunity to discuss implications and any concerns of being an egg donor and what the treatment involves before signing consent forms.
Step 1
If you haven’t already completed the eligibility checker, please visit www.eggsandsperm.scot. Completing this online helps us to monitor interest across Scotland and further information is provided in “Information for Prospective egg donors” if you meet the basic criteria. If you are unable to access the online checker, the basic eligibility criteria to be considered as an egg donor is as follows:
- You are aged between 18 and 35 years old
- You have not donated eggs elsewhere
- You are a non-smoker
- You are able to give a personal and family medical history (verbal) on both sides up to grandparents, and there should be no significant illnesses or inherited diseases.
- Have a body mass index (BMI) of less than 30.
If you meet the basic criteria, please go to Step 2.
Step 2
If you meet the initial criteria to apply to become an egg donor, please read the information below then complete and return the questionnaire. If we haven’t heard back from you within 2 weeks, we will contact you to give you a gentle reminder to return the questionnaire. If you have changed your mind and no longer wish to be considered to become an egg donor, please let us know and we’ll make sure to remove you from our contact list.
This will be reviewed by a clinical member of staff within the donor team. We aim to get back to you within 2 weeks to let you know if you are able to progress to the next step of becoming a egg donor. Occasionally we’ll ask for additional information based on the information you’ve given and we may need to phone you to discuss this further.
Step 3
Based on the information you’ve provided, if you meet the initial requirements of becoming an egg donor, you will be referred to our Counselling service to discuss the implications of donation. If you have a partner that wishes to attend with you, we are more than happy to arrange this for you.
This appointment can be face-to-face, online (via NearMe) or by telephone. If you require an interpreter this can also be arranged.
Step 4
We’ll invite you to attend an appointment with one of our nurses. This appointment should take about 30 minutes and you will have a blood test to check your Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) level. This gives us information about your egg reserve and results are usually received within a week. This test indicates if you have suitable egg numbers to become an egg donor. You will also be asked to provide a urine sample.
Before you attend this appointment, please make sure you have read the Information for Prospective Egg Donors, see above. If you have any questions, you might find it useful to write them down for your appointment.
Please bring photographic ID with you to this appointment (e.g.. Passport, Driving Licence)
We’ll also provide you with some additional forms needed for egg donation. Please read and consider them carefully and bring them to your next medical appointment.
Guidance for your Goodwill Message
Completing you consents online
You will be sent a text message and directed to a secure website for more information and to complete your consents online. Please note this process may take up to two hours in total to consider and complete the recommended information.
Online Consent Information for Donors
Here are the consents we will ask you to complete online:
HFEA CD form (Your consent to disclosing identifying information)
HFEA WD form (Your consent to donating your eggs)
If you wish to vary or withdraw your consent, you can do so at any time until the point of sperm, egg or embryo transfer by completing the form below and providing it to the fertility centre where you donated.
Withdrawing your consent to use of your eggs, sperm or embryos in someone else’s treatment
Step 5
You’ll meet with one of our doctors for a medical consultation.
Your initial consultation
- Please bring photographic identification (eg. passport or driving licence)
- Please make sure you have completed your online consents and watched all the appropriate videos. You will be sent reminder texts if anything remains outstanding.
- You’ll be provided with further information and your medical history will be checked.
- You’ll have a transvaginal scan to check the health of your ovaries and how you might respond to treatment
- You’ll be provided with consent forms for donating your eggs
- You’ll be asked to provide a blood and urine sample for testing for transmissible infections. We usually receive these test results within 2 weeks and we will contact you to let you know if you’re able to progress to the next step.
- We’ll carry out genetic screening and these results are usually received within 6 weeks.
- After this appointment we’ll write to your GP to advise them that you’re considering egg donation.
Step 6
You’ll be given an appointment with a nurse and they’ll discuss the results from your blood and urine tests. We’ll check through your consent forms and give you detailed information about your treatment, medication, a provisional month and further appointments. If you have any questions, you might find it useful to write them down for your appointment.
Overseas Travel
We ask about overseas travel to make sure there is no risk of transmitting Zika virus (or other relevant transmissible infection) to the unborn baby of donor sperm recipients. If you have travelled or plan to travel to a Zika-affected area, we will need to defer you from donation for 3 months upon returning from that area.
Information for Donors about Contact
From October 2023 onwards donor-conceived people are able to request identifying information about their donors, following the change to the law in 2005 allowing donor-conceived people, at 18, to access this information from the HFEA.
Professionals from organisations across the sector have developed five new leaflets which provide information and signposting for egg and sperm donors about the possibility of contact from any donor-conceived people born from their donations.
- Preparing you and your family for the possibility of contact
- Donor FAQs
- Important information for people who have donated eggs, sperm or embryos in the past
- Contact stories: Donors
- Contact stories: Relatives of Donors
Further reading:
Being an egg or sperm donor – Study – The University of Manchester
Further information on donation is available on the HFEA website.
Contact Us
Egg and Sperm Donor Team
Edinburgh Fertility Centre
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
51 Little France Crescent
Edinburgh
EH16 4SA
Tel: 0131 242 2440 (answer machine)
Email: loth.edindonor@nhs.scot
Please note that NHS Lothian has a closed IT network, which is considered sufficiently secure to send/receive sensitive, confidential information. However, we are unable to guarantee the security of information sent between email accounts outside NHS Lothian. For this reason, if you choose to communicate via email, our reply will have any sensitive information omitted.
