FAQs

There are both known and anonymous egg donations. You have full control, and we will walk you through what that will look like.

The Intended Parents have complete care and responsibility for the child.

In Canada, egg donors are not paid for their donation — but all expenses related to the process are fully reimbursed. This can include things like food, clothing, lost wages, childcare, travel, and more.

For most first-time donors, these reimbursed expenses typically total around $8000.

Between 19 and 32 years old.

There are no known long-term side effects from egg donation.

Giving the gift of parenthood to a deserving couple is a life-changing experience. Having said that, there are parts of the process like medications and a procedure that requires recovery downtime of 24-48 hours.

It depends on your overall health and your personal desire to donate. Some women choose to donate just once, while others decide to do multiple cycles because they enjoy the experience and want to help more families.

Health Canada guidelines recommend that women only donate up to 6 times in their lifetime for safety. Ultimately, the choice is between you and your doctor, based on what feels right for your health and comfort.

Yes – we understand that life can be busy sometimes – we will work around you.

We want this to be the right fit for your life.

Yes, egg donation does not affect your future fertility.

As with any medical procedure, there are some potential risks — even routine surgeries, like tonsil removal, carry them. At ANU, we work in close partnership with the fertility clinic to safeguard your health at every stage. As your retrieval date approaches, the medical team will carefully monitor your progress through regular bloodwork and ultrasounds. This ensures your eggs are developing at a healthy pace and that you are in the best possible condition for the procedure.

From beginning to end it usually takes around 6 months.

Egg donors take a short course of hormone injections to help several eggs mature at the same time, along with medication to prevent early ovulation. The process ends with a “trigger shot” that completes egg maturation and times the retrieval precisely.

Egg donors are given twilight sedation, which means they receive medications through an IV that help them relax, feel drowsy, and block any pain during the procedure, while still breathing on their own. It’s similar to the sedation used for dental work—most donors drift off and remember little to nothing afterward—and it wears off quickly, allowing them to go home the same day.

10 – 30 eggs.

You may feel some mild cramping or bloating afterward, but the procedure itself is done under twilight sedation, so you’ll be relaxed, comfortable, and won’t feel pain during the retrieval.

For the first 24 hours you are recovering from sedation, so you’ll be groggy – which is why you have a support person with you.

Most people will recover completely within 48 hours.