Egg Donor Requirements

Most agencies require donors to be between 21 and 34 years old. This range is aligned with ASRM guidelines that recommend against donors under 21 due to decision-making maturity concerns, and donors over 32 due to declining egg quality with age.

Some agencies may accept donors up to age 35 in certain circumstances, and a small number of programs accept donors as young as 18–20. Donors aged 21–28 tend to be in highest demand.

Most agencies require a BMI under 28–32. Higher BMI can affect ovarian stimulation response and increases anesthesia risks during the retrieval procedure. The specific cutoff varies by agency and clinic.

BMI is calculated from your height and weight: BMI = (weight in lbs ÷ height in inches²) × 703. A 5'5" woman weighing 145 lbs has a BMI of approximately 24.1.

Virtually all agencies require donors to be non-smokers and free of all nicotine products, including cigarettes, vaping, patches, and gum. Nicotine use significantly reduces egg quality and quantity and is a near-universal disqualifier.

Some agencies require you to have been nicotine-free for a minimum period (typically 6–12 months) even if you've recently quit.

Agencies and clinics will conduct a thorough review of your personal and family health history. Generally acceptable candidates have no significant hereditary conditions that could be passed to a child, no history of certain chromosomal abnormalities, and no active STIs.

Specific conditions that may affect eligibility include: PCOS (affects stimulation protocols but doesn't always disqualify), endometriosis, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and certain mental health diagnoses. Each is evaluated individually.

All egg donation programs require a psychological evaluation with a licensed mental health professional. The evaluation assesses your motivations for donating, understanding of the process, emotional stability, and ability to handle potential outcomes (including the knowledge that genetic children may exist).

A history of mental health treatment does not automatically disqualify you. Active, well-managed conditions are often acceptable. A history of psychiatric hospitalization is more likely to be disqualifying at most agencies.

There is no universal education requirement to be an egg donor — donors with high school diplomas can and do donate successfully. However, education level affects compensation at many agencies, with bachelor's degree holders earning $1,000–$2,000 more than the base rate and advanced degree holders earning $2,000–$4,000 more.

Some intended parents specifically request college-educated donors, which can expand your matching opportunities if you have a degree.

Egg donation requires approximately 10–15 clinic visits over 3–6 weeks during the active cycle, including monitoring appointments (often early morning), the retrieval procedure, and follow-up. You'll need reliable transportation to a fertility clinic and flexibility in your schedule during the stimulation and retrieval phases.

All travel and associated expenses are reimbursed. Some agencies work with long-distance donors (flying in for the retrieval), though most prefer donors within driving distance of their clinic network.