How Does the Egg Donor Matching Process Work?

On this page, discover more about how the egg donor matching process works at the Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health, and how our outstanding team will help you navigate it. We’ll discuss how the process works for egg donation recipients and what those considering egg donation may need to know about the egg donor matching process.

Egg donor matching process for recipients

Becoming an egg donor

Who needs donated eggs?

The demand for donated eggs in the UK has increased significantly over recent years. The reasons for needing donated eggs varies for each individual, but some of the most common reasons include:

• • Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (P.O.I)

This is where someone does not produce the required number or quality of eggs themselves to be able to conceive easily.

• • Recurrent miscarriage

If someone has suffered three or more miscarriages, their consultant may recommend that they consider donated eggs.

• • Same-sex and solo parents

Donated eggs ensure everyone can start a family of their own.

• • People with diminished ovarian reserve due to age or medical conditions and treatment

Our ovarian reserve and quality diminish as we age, making conceiving less easy. Similarly, some treatments, such as chemotherapy, can cause a reduction in ovarian reserve. We offer ovarian reserve tests to give you a better idea of your follicle count and hormone levels.

How does the egg donor matching process work?

At CRGH, patients are matched with an egg donor based on a series of steps.

• • Initial consultation

As a potential donor, you will need to speak with the donation team, fertility consultant, and counsellor to understand the process and its emotional implications before undergoing tests to ensure that you are physically able to donate eggs.

• • Characteristics matching

Intended parents may have specific preferred characteristics, including physical appearance, educational background, medical history, and personal attributes. Knowing this, our clinic will evaluate our egg donor profiles and suggest specific ones which we think may be a good match. We always try to match the egg donor and recipient’s physical characteristics as closely as possible.

• • Choosing a pathway

Your consultant will discuss the pathways available to you; alongside our domestic egg donors, we also work with a clinic in Finland to streamline wait times for IVF with donor egg treatments. Our Blastocyst Guarantee offers peace of mind whichever pathway you pick, meaning you are put at the top of the waiting list for another egg donor if you need to undergo treatment for a second time.

• • Matching with a donor

Once the intended parent(s) approves, a donor profile will be matched with them, and the process will go ahead.

What is the success rate of IVF with donor eggs?

According to our latest data, the live birth rate per embryo transferred (aged 44+) using donor eggs is 48.5% compared to 14.3% when using own eggs. For all ages, there is a 47% live birth rate per embryo transferred using donor eggs.

Explore our full range of outstanding success rates.

How long does it take to get pregnant with donor eggs?

We cannot guarantee pregnancy with donor eggs, although the time it takes to achieve pregnancy with donor eggs can vary for each individual or couple if they are successful. This will depend on how long it takes to find a donor match, menstrual cycle synchronisation, and whether the patient has prepared her body for the donor egg.

How do I prepare my body for an IVF donor egg?

You can prepare your body for a donor egg in several ways. Aside from taking on any advice from our fertility experts, you can modify your lifestyle to optimise your overall well-being, such as by following a balanced diet, participating in regular exercise, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco.

Donor selection

Donors can be selected as either an anonymous individual or someone specifically known to the single patient or couple wanting to receive an egg donation.

The advantage of having a known donor is that you won’t have to join a waiting list. However, our waiting process has been dramatically sped up by the partnership with Ovumia, so don’t worry if you don’t have a known donor.

Becoming an Egg Donor

What are some profile tips in the egg donor matching process?

When becoming an egg donor with us, our team recommends a few top tips for your donor profile. Your profile must include certain insights which will help hopeful parents make an informed decision about their fertility journey.

Our tips include:

• • Be honest and open

Transparency is key in the egg donor matching process – the intended parents must be fully aware of your medical history, family background, and lifestyle to inform their decision. Be open about any hereditary health conditions in your family, as genetics are often important to intended parents. Aside from this, be transparent about any career achievements, academic background, special talents, and health and wellness habits, which will give a sense of your overall abilities and aspirations.

• • Reveal why you want to be an egg donor

Becoming an egg donor can be incredible – but why do you want to become one? Whether you want to help others build a family or have any other personal reasons, explaining your motivations gives your decision some context.

• • Showcase yourself

Reveal your personality for what it is – creative, analytical, outgoing, introverted, or anything in between. This will help hopeful parents visualise what kind of person the donor is beyond the basic black-and-white details. Aside from this, ensure you include recent photos to showcase different parts of your personality and appearance, which will help put a face to a name.

• • State your communication preferences

Communication is key in the donor egg matching process, so clearly articulate your preferences concerning future contact with the potential parents and offspring.

A child born from your donated eggs will be able to access non-identifying information about you at 16, and identifiable information about you at 18, so it’s vital to keep your contact details updated with us.

Learn more about the rules around releasing donor information.

• • Choose your language carefully

When writing your profile, convey empathy and warmth in your words, including inclusive and optimistic language to create a good impression. Proofread your profile to remove grammatical errors, ensuring that your profile reflects the attention to detail some intended parents will be looking for.

How to become an egg donor

If you’re interested in treatment with donor eggs at CRGH, you are entitled to a free-of-charge appointment with one of our expert consultants. During this appointment, the consultant can answer any questions and help explain the process in more detail. Complete the form, and our team will get in touch to arrange a conversation with one of our specialists completely free of charge.

Our consultants are experts at understanding your previous medical and fertility history, as well as your future goals.

If you have any questions about the egg donor matching process, becoming an egg donor or undertaking IVF treatment with donor eggs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team to discuss your journey.