Egg Donor
Dear Prospective Egg Donors
Thank you very much for your interest in our egg donation program.
Please read the following explanation of egg donation in general carefully and make sure you understand it.
What is Egg Donation
Egg donation is when a fertile young woman donates her eggs for others to use in order to create embryos. Egg donation builds families. It helps those who are unable to become parents on their own. Being an egg donor is a selfless act that makes dreams of parenthood come true for intended parents. Egg Donation means making a commitment to be part of something that will positively and meaningfully impact the lives of others. As you embark on the process, it's essential to understand that being an egg donor means being "all in"—emotionally, mentally, and physically. Egg donors can be of any racial and ethnic background and should be prepared to travel. People choose egg donation for different reasons—some are struggling with infertility, others are same-sex Intended Parent or single individuals. Pacific Miracles’ Intended Parents come from different backgrounds around the world. Our egg donors share this diversity.
If you're thinking about becoming an egg donor, it's important to educate yourself about:
• Egg donor requirements
• Egg donation process
• Egg donation benefits
About Pacific Miracles, Inc.
Pacific Miracles, Inc. is dedicated to helping Intended Parent with infertility or conditions that lead to infertility. We coordinate egg donors or surrogate mothers to carry a child to term on the Intended Parents’ behalf. We are an agency that helps coordinate surrogate mothers to conceive and deliver babies on behalf of these Intended Parents.
The agency also assists the medical professionals, egg donors, and surrogate mothers involved in the process with screening (psychological and physical examinations).
screening (psychological evaluation, medical screening, genetic screening, etc.), and attorneys to draft the contract.
We provide the necessary support to the egg donor and surrogate mother to ensure a smooth egg donation and surrogacy process.
We will refer you to a reputable and experienced doctor or fertility center in US/Japan.
How to Become an Egg Donor
The generous act of becoming an egg donor gives hope to Intended Parent and individuals who rely on alternative methods of having children to grow their families.
EGG DONOR QUALIFICATIONS
By donating your eggs, you’re giving intended parents a genetic gift that will help them build their family. Helping an infertile Intended Parents as an egg donor is a wonderful thing to do. To this end, we look for the best and brightest women who will provide hopeful parents with a healthy match. At a minimum, we always look for the following egg donor qualifications:
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You’re between 21 and 30 years old
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You have regular monthly periods
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You have no reproductive disorders
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You are a non-smoker and non-drug user
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Your BMI is under 29
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No history of mental illness, drug use, or alcoholism
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You’re willing to take injectable medication
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You agree to medical, psychological, and drug screenings
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You’re willing to undergo an outpatient procedure for egg retrieval
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You’re able to follow a doctor’s instructions
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You must have the time and commitment to complete the egg donation process.
Beyond these qualities, your personality traits also play a role in how we handle your application. Smart, kind, strong women with a generous spirit will have a positive, rewarding experience throughout the egg donation process. If you feel that you have a proper understanding of how to become an egg donor and that you meet our egg donor qualifications, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us for Egg Donor Application Form.
Process of Becoming an Egg Donor with Pacific Miracles
The first step in the egg donor process is to complete the Egg Donor Application Form. This is where we learn about you – your lifestyle, your personality traits, and your family history. We use this information to determine whether you would have a positive experience donating your eggs, as well as to evaluate your viability for matching with intended parent. If your application is approved, you will be interviewed by a member of our intake staff, who will help you complete your enrollment paperwork.
We ask that potential egg donors provide us with a detailed profile (Application Form) of themselves, a few photos, and any other necessary paperwork. The Intended Parents uses this information to select an egg donor.
Matching Egg Donors with Intended Parents
When the Intended Parents views the profile, all personally identifiable information about the donor (name, address, phone number, etc.) is withheld.
Generally, donors are referred to by their first name only, but if you wish to avoid this, you may choose to use a pseudonym or a number. The privacy of the egg donor is very important.
No personal information will be shared with anyone without the egg donor's permission.
Usually, egg donation is done on an anonymous basis for both the Intended Parents and the egg donor. Only in rare cases, when both the Intended Parents and the egg donor wish and agree to it, will the donor's personal information be revealed to anyone.
In rare cases, Pacific Miracles, Inc. may arrange a phone conversation or meeting with the egg donor if both parties wish and agree. (In such cases, both parties will remain anonymous.)
Screening Process
Once you have been selected by the Intended Parents, a psychiatric evaluation, physical examination, and blood test for infectious diseases will be conducted.
The Intended Parents will pay for these tests.
You will undergo a psychological evaluation and receive an overview of the egg donation process, including the benefits and risks. We do this to make sure our egg donors are confident in their choice to offer such a life-changing gift.
You will undergo a medical screening where you’ll be tested for infectious diseases, substance use, and overall health. You may be required to complete a genetic screening at the future parent’s request.
Depending on where the egg donor lives, (if the egg donor does not live in the Los Angeles area), an egg donor may be required to travel to the doctor or specialist.
（The Intended Parents will be responsible for all travel expenses (including lodging and meals, if necessary). In some cases, psychological evaluation, physical examinations, and blood tests may be conducted at a specialist in the egg donor's neighborhood.
The results will be sent to the doctor who will perform the egg retrieval.
Legal Process
Once you have passed all screenings, Pacific Miracles will arrange legal representation for you. The attorneys will draft a contract, which both you and the intended parent(s) will sign. The donor cycle will begin on the first day of your next menstrual period. You will be required to self-administer injectable medications to stimulate your ovaries until approximately 36 hours before the egg retrieval procedure.
Medical Process
The last step in the egg donor process is egg retrieval. You will be under twilight sedation as the doctor uses a small needle to retrieve the eggs from your ovaries. Afterwards, you may feel fatigue or temporary cramping, which is normal. Most egg donors are able to return to their normal schedules the following day.
Please note:
Please do not get new body piercings or tattoos after you have agreed to egg donation.
In California, egg donation is prohibited for 6 months after body piercing and 6 months to 1 year after tattooing due to the risk of infection.
Phycological Screening is performed to ensure that the egg donor has a full understanding of the donation and its consequences, and that the donor is responsible for the donation.
You will be interviewed by a psychologist.
In the Genetic Screening, you will be screened for inherited diseases based on the information you have provided in your profile. Genetic Screening is an examination of the information provided in the profile for inherited diseases, and if necessary (or if requested by the Intended Parents), a separate test may be performed.
If necessary (or if requested by the Intended Parents), the Intended Parents may be asked to undergo a separate examination.
Medical Screening is performed to ensure that the egg donor is in good health and that the egg donor is not suffering from any genetic diseases and is in good health and able to donate eggs.
A gynecological exam and ultrasound examination are also performed to check for smear test (uterine cancer) as well as to see if the ovaries are functioning normally.
In addition, HIV, HTLV-1 & 2, Hepatitis B and C, and HIV, HTLV-1&2, hepatitis B and C, etc.
Blood tests will be performed. If necessary (or if requested by the Intended Parents)
A urine test will be performed to ensure that the donor is not using illegal drugs.
If the egg donor has a husband or partner, he may also be tested for sexually transmitted diseases as described above.
Egg Donor Contract
The contract between the egg donor and the Intended Parents is legally valid and binding under the laws of the State of California.
As an egg donor, you have the right to have an attorney standing by your side to represent your interests as an egg donor.
We will refer you to an attorney who will represent the egg donor's side separately from the attorney who represents the Intended Parents.
Please read the contract carefully by yourself and then contact that attorney to sign the contract. After you have read the contract carefully, you should ask that lawyer to check that the contract is acceptable to the egg donor.
(The cost of the attorney representing the egg donor will be paid by the Intended Parents. The attorney is obligated to represent only the egg donor's interests.)
The contract should include the compensation for the egg donation, the legal obligations of the egg donor, the method of egg donation, the ownership of the retrieved eggs and the fertilized eggs produced from them, and a variety of other important details, and many other important details.
Medications cannot be administered until both the egg donor and the Intended Parents have signed the contract. After signing, the doctor will be informed, and the medication will be started. (The only exception to this is the contraceptive pill, which you may be asked to take.)
How long does the egg donation process take?
The egg donation process from the day you match with intended parents until your egg retrieval can take place is around 1-3 months. The cycle itself is about 2 weeks long, which consists of daily injections, several appointments, and ends with the egg retrieval procedure. The egg retrieval itself is about a 30 minute long procedure.
How long does the egg donation process take?
The egg donation process from the day you match with intended parents until your egg retrieval can take place is around 1-3 months. The cycle itself is about 2 weeks long, which consists of daily injections, several appointments, and ends with the egg retrieval procedure. The egg retrieval itself is about a 30 minute long procedure.
How long does it take for egg donors to match?
The amount of time to match with intended parents varies. Once you apply to be an egg donor, and you are screened, approved and added to the egg donor database, you could match with intended parents in a day, or in a month, or it could take longer. You can improve your match time by providing clear, high quality photos of yourself, as well as possible a short video introducing yourself, sharing a little bit about yourself, and expressing what brought you to egg donation.
About the compensation for egg donors
Women who act as egg donors are paid for their physical and emotional commitment to helping others have the families of their dreams. Egg donors give the ultimate gift – parenthood – and the pride and confidence they feel after donating their eggs is priceless.
Egg donation is a commitment unlike any other, and we honor that pledge through compensation.
With each egg donation cycle, you can earn anywhere between $,10,000 and $15,000 or more. So, in addition to the lifelong joy you'll experience from making a family's dream come true, you'll be able to put money toward making your very own dreams a reality, too.
Many egg donors go on to donate their eggs more than once. Experienced egg donors can earn an additional $2,000 or more with every egg donation they complete.
The entire amount of the compensation will be paid in direct deposit or bank wire after the egg retrieval is completed. If you live in Japan, the money will be sent overseas.
The compensation will only be paid in full based on the fact that even one egg was retrieved.
The full amount is paid regardless of the number of eggs retrieved.
Egg donors are paid twice during their egg donation process.
• $1,000 medical screening payment. This payment is made to egg donors after their medical screening trip, which typically occurs within a month of matching and once all trip receipts have been sent to the PC team.
• Remainder of donation payment. The remainder of their total compensation is paid after the egg retrieval is complete, and once all trip receipts have been sent to the Pacific Miracles team.
Egg donor compensation is taxable income so be sure to speak with your financial advisor when doing your taxes!
• Does an egg donor get paid if the egg donation doesn't work?
Egg donors are compensation regardless of the outcome of their egg retrieval. Even if the intended parents are left with no embryos, the egg donor will still receive her compensation. Donors are paid for their part during the egg donation process, which includes taking medications, local monitoring, and the egg retrieval itself.
If the egg retrieval is not completed after the medication (except for the contraceptive pill) has started, the egg donor will be paid $1000 for their time during that time.
• Other benefits for egg donors
In addition to egg donor pay, women will receive additional benefits during the process. It's important to note: egg donors will never pay anything during an egg donation journey. All costs and expenses will be covered by the intended parents.
Here are some benefits egg donors receive:
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Paid travel costs. All travel costs are covered, including flights, hotel stay, Ubers (to and from the hotel, clinic and airport); car rental, including gas.
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Meal costs. Donors receive $25/day, $50/night for Meal Allowance. (Non-Accountable)
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Cell Phone Usage Fee. $100
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Additional travel expenses. These expenses are covered and could include: luggage fees and airport parking.
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Mileage. Donors are compensated for mileage for driving to local monitoring appointments and for driving to the airport.
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Insurance. Intended parents pay for complications insurance for egg donors should anything arise related to the egg donation journey.
For travel for their egg retrieval, donors are required to bring an adult companion with them on their trip; the costs of her companion's flights and meal allowance will also be covered.
Contraception and Abstinence
Once you have signed the contract, you must use contraception until the medication is administered. If you become pregnant after signing the contract, you could be sued for breach of contract. Once the medication has been started, the egg donor must strictly abstain from intercourse until approximately one week after egg retrieval.
Once the medication has begun, the egg donor will be strictly abstained from intercourse until approximately one week after the egg retrieval. Medication allows multiple eggs to mature at once, which can result in multiple pregnancies. This can lead to multiple pregnancies.
If the egg donor is not on the pill, she will first be prescribed the pill.
The purpose of the pill is not only for birth control, but also to regularize the egg donor's menstrual cycle.
Medication and Egg Retrieval Process
(This explanation is for illustrative purposes only.
The actual process may vary slightly depending on the doctor or clinic performing the procedure.)
Medication for egg donation is divided into several steps. The first step of the egg donation medication begins on the 21st day of the egg donor's menstrual cycle.
1. Lupron
Lupron medication is administered by subcutaneous injection beginning on day 21 of the menstrual cycle. This subcutaneous injection is given once a day at the same time. The medical professional will instruct you on how to administer the subcutaneous injections.
It is usually self-administered. The needle used for subcutaneous injections of Lupron is ultrafine, about 1.5 cm long (the same needle used for diabetic insulin injections), and self-injection is not very difficult. The purpose of Lupron is to temporarily stop the ovaries from ovulating. Menstruation will begin 7 to 10 days after starting Lupron.
The duration of the Lupron medication varies from case to case, from about two weeks to three or four weeks or more. Some doctors may give a single injection of a different drug with a different name that serves the same purpose.
A few people may experience light-headedness, lightheadedness, mood instability, and other possible side effects of Lupron. If they are severe, consult your doctor.
Most people have no problems as long as they lead a normal daily life.
2. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
The purpose of follicle stimulating hormone is to develop and mature multiple eggs at once.
This drug has a variety of trade names, the most commonly used being Gonal-F, Follistim
Follistim, and Fertinex (Gonal-F, Follistim, Fertinex).
Follicle-stimulating hormone is administered once a day at the same time with a very fine needle, as is Lupron. Some physicians use intramuscular injections of a different drug with a different name that serves the same purpose.
Depending on where the egg donor lives, the follicle-stimulating hormone medication may be administered at a local specialist up to midway through the process. The egg donor may be treated by a local specialist until midway through the follicle stimulating hormone medication.
In this case, the egg donor's doctor will stay in close contact with the specialist and check on your progress.
After the follicle stimulating hormone medication has been started, the blood tests and ultrasounds are performed until the eggs have matured. These blood tests and ultrasound examinations are used to determine the number of eggs that are developing, the number of eggs that are mature, and the size of the eggs. The number, size, and quality of eggs that develop and mature are closely monitored by these blood tests and ultrasounds.
Depending on where the egg donor lives, this monitoring may take 7 days or longer if a specialist in your area is performing the monitoring.
If this monitoring is being performed by a specialist in the area, the egg donor will be placed under the supervision of the egg retrieval physician from day 7 or 8 onward.
After 7 or 8 days, the egg donor will be transferred to the egg donor's doctor's office. Some egg donors may require a blood test and ultrasound on day 5.
The doctor may instruct you to change the dosage depending on the development and maturation of the eggs.
Usually, blood tests and ultrasound examinations are done early in the morning (7:00 to 9:00 a.m., depending on the doctor) during the follicle-stimulating hormone medication.
(7:00 to 9:00 a.m., depending on the doctor), and the results are used to determine whether to change the dosage of the medication in the afternoon of the same day.
The doctor will contact you the same afternoon with the results of the ultrasound to determine if the dosage should be changed.
It is very important to be reachable at all times during this period. If you live in Japan, Pacific Miracles will help you and coordinate for the communication with the doctor’s office.
If you do not have a cell phone, please make sure that you can be reached in some way.
Possible side effects of FSH include temporary nausea and bloating.
Once the eggs have matured, we move on to the next dosing step.
3. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) Hormone
Once the eggs have matured sufficiently, hCG is administered. The timing of this medication is very important. It is administered as a one-time intramuscular injection in the thigh or buttock, 35 hours before the egg retrieval is scheduled.
4. Egg retrieval
Egg retrieval is performed by a physician at a medical facility. It is usually done in the morning and takes about one hour. An intravenous drip is first set and then general anesthesia or sedation is administered. The doctor uses ultrasound to closely monitor the position of the ovaries and inserts a thin needle through the vaginal wall into the ovaries to extract the mature eggs.The actual retrieval takes about 15-20 minutes.
The eggs are then fertilized by the IP or Donor Sperm.
Most egg donors are able to return home within an hour or so after the egg retrieval.
If you are flying, you will stay overnight that day and return the next morning.
If you have a doctor's permission, you can go home the same day.
With regard to egg donation, all medical processes such as medication, egg retrieval, etc.
There is always a very small but potential risk.
It is important that you discuss these risks with your doctor in advance, and that you understand and agree to them. It is the egg donor's responsibility to discuss these risks with his/her doctor in advance.
As you can see, egg donation requires a great deal of time and effort on the part of the egg donor. Therefore, it is very important that the egg donor strictly follows the doctor's instructions in order to ensure the success of the egg donation. Only with your cooperation will a couple be able to have the baby of their dreams.
Your gift is a baby waiting to be born. Your gift is invaluable to couples who have been waiting for a baby for a long time. We are so grateful to all egg donors who are able to give this special gift to couples. We will make every effort to make egg donation a positive experience for our egg donors. Thank you again for your interest in our egg donation program!