Egg Donor’s Guide

Am I a Candidate to be an Egg Donor?

Key Requirements

• Age: Between 19 and 32 years old
• Good overall health with a healthy lifestyle
• Non-smoker (nicotine) and no substance abuse
• Healthy family medical history
• BMI within healthy range
• Can make up to a 14-day commitment

If you meet these requirements, you’re well-suited to move forward as an egg donor!

Allowance Explanation – Do I Get Paid To Be an Egg Donor?

While egg donation is absolutely legal in Canada, we cannot pay donors for their amazing gift. However, donors have all related expenses reimbursed.

First-time donors typically receive up to $8,000 in reimbursement, with the amount increasing with each subsequent donation, up to $10,000 for experienced donors.

The follwing expenses are included:

• Lost wages
• Childcare
• Food
• Transportation and mileage
• Clothing
• Travel
• Communication
• Wellness services
• Post-retrieval recovery

We work closely with you to manage receipts and ensure thorough reimbursement. You’ll meet with Christina to review receipt management – keeping all receipts is essential for proper reimbursement.

Where Do My Eggs Go?

One of the most meaningful features of our service is that once the Intended Parents select you, YOU get to make the final decision about whether you want to work with them.

While many agencies don’t do this, we believe it helps create a stronger connection between parents, surrogates, and egg donors.

We are also one of the few agencies that encourage and support a donor’s choice to be known or anonymous.

Ultimately, it is for you to decide where your eggs go. Of course, if you already know the Intended Parents, we support that too!

What Happens First?

The first step to egg donation is filling out an application. This form helps us determine if you qualify and allows us to get a general picture of your health to ensure egg donation is the right fit for you.

Once your application and initial bloodwork are approved, you’ll complete a detailed personal profile that becomes your first point of contact with Intended Parents. Your profile should showcase your best qualities with good quality, high-resolution photos and thoughtful responses about your family history and background.

Your Health History

When it comes to questions about your health history, we’ll ask about several important areas:

• Any history of cancer in the family, especially at a young age
• Any diagnosed mental health conditions
• Genetic disorders
• Drug or alcohol misuse

This information helps give us (and you) an overall picture of your health and suitability for egg donation.

The Retrieval Process

The egg retrieval process usually takes about 10 to 16 days from the start of your medication. Here’s an overview of what to expect:

The retrieval is done at the IVF center in a calm, private procedure room.

Using gentle guidance from a vaginal ultrasound, a very fine needle is used to collect the eggs from the follicles.

You’ll be given conscious sedation so you’re relaxed and comfortable throughout — most donors actually sleep through it.

The procedure itself usually takes 20–30 minutes, and a support person will need to accompany you so they can take you home afterward.

Afterward, you may feel a little crampy or bloated, but this usually eases quickly. Many donors feel ready to return to their normal activities the very next day.

Did You Know?

Eggs develop in your ovaries in fluid-filled sacs called follicles. Each follicle contains one microscopic egg that attaches loosely to the follicle wall. These follicles can be observed and measured through ultrasound.

After the eggs are retrieved, they’re identified, rinsed in culture media, and placed in plastic culture dishes. On average, 10-30 eggs are extracted during the procedure. Soon after retrieval, they’re placed in a culture dish, fertilized with sperm, cultured for 3-5 days, and then frozen for future use or used right away.

Your Fertility

The egg donation procedure does NOT impact your future ability to have biological children.

Women are born with approximately 2 million eggs. Each month, a group of eggs begins the maturation process, but typically only one egg is released during ovulation, while the body absorbs the remaining eggs. The fertility medications used in the egg donation process work by “rescuing” some of these eggs that would normally be discarded by your body, allowing them to mature for donation.

After the procedure, your body will continue to produce eggs naturally, and your fertility remains unaffected.

Application

Fill out our initial application form. Your information is reviewed, and if accepted, you’ll be asked to fill out a detailed personal profile.

When filling out your detailed personal profile, it’s important to remember this becomes your introduction to potential Intended Parents. Consider it like your resume – we want you to showcase yourself in the best possible way. Good quality, high-resolution photos and thoughtful responses are essential.

This profile includes your detailed family history and personal background, helping us (and you) gain a complete picture of your health. We’ll provide guidance throughout this process to ensure egg donation is the right decision for you.

Application Approval by Clinic

On average, it takes about a week to hear back from the clinic. If the doctor has any questions or concerns, we’ll contact you for clarification.

Egg Donor Matching

Finding the right match is important. Perhaps you want to help the LGBTQIA2+ community, support a single parent, or simply help someone grow their family. We ensure your values align with those of the Intended Parents.

Once Intended Parents select your profile, the decision to move forward is entirely yours. You’ll consider if the match feels right and fits your timeline. You maintain full control throughout this process.

Medical Appointment

After being matched with Intended Parents, the clinic will schedule your medical screening appointment, which includes:

• Meeting the doctor and medical team
• Blood work for infectious disease screening, hormone level testing, and genetic testing
• Ultrasound examination of your ovaries
• Counselling session to ensure you understand everything and confirm this is right for you

Results typically take up to 6 weeks. Before your appointment, we’ll guide you step-by-step through what to expect at the clinic.

Contract

Once medically cleared, we’ll organize your legal contract. You’ll work with a specialized lawyer to walk you through the agreement, which outlines responsibilities between you and the Intended Parents.

The contract states that you agree to maintain your health and safety during donation. It also clarifies that you have no parental rights or responsibilities – the Intended Parents are fully responsible for any resulting children.

Your Intended Parents will cover all legal fees, and you can request changes to ensure you’re comfortable with the terms. ANU Fertility ensures you understand and are satisfied with your contract.

Medical Cycle and Monitoring

Naturally, your body matures 1-2 eggs per month. To mature multiple eggs for donation, you’ll take hormone medications for 10-14 days to stimulate your ovaries.

You’ll be monitored closely through regular appointments that include blood tests and ultrasounds to track your progress and ensure you’re responding well to the medication.

When your eggs are ready, the clinic will administer a “trigger shot” that prepares the eggs for retrieval. This is administered 36 hours before the retrieval procedure.

Ready for Procedure

The retrieval occurs approximately 12 days after starting medications. You’ll need to remain near the clinic (travel expenses are covered if needed).

The procedure takes about 20-30 minutes and is performed under conscious sedation. The doctor uses an ultrasound-guided needle to retrieve the eggs from your ovaries.

After the procedure, you’ll rest briefly before returning to your hotel or home. You must have someone accompany you to ensure your safety post-sedation.

Post-Retrieval

Egg donation will not affect your ability to have biological children in the future.

Women are born with around 2 million eggs. Each month, a group of these eggs begins to mature, but usually only one is released during ovulation — the rest are naturally reabsorbed by the body.

The fertility medications used in the donation process simply “rescue” some of the eggs that your body would have otherwise discarded, allowing them to mature so they can be donated.

After your donation, your body continues its normal cycle of producing and releasing eggs, so your future fertility remains the same.

Egg Donor Contract

Once Intended Parents choose you, you have the final say in whether you’d like to work with them.

Many agencies don’t offer this, but we believe it builds stronger, more meaningful connections between parents, surrogates, and egg donors.

We fully support your choice to be known or remain anonymous — whichever feels right for you.

Already have Intended Parents in mind? We’ll gladly support that match too.

At the end of the day, you decide where your eggs go — because it’s your gift, your journey, your choice.

24/7 Access to Canada’s Strongest Surrogacy Support Network

We offer an egg donor mentorship program so you have 24/7 (only emergency calls after 6pm) support throughout the entire process.

With ANU mentorship, you’ll have access to a strong support system of individuals who have all been egg donors and know exactly what you are going through.

Legal FAQs

Who is responsible for the child/children?

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

Is egg donation legal in Canada?

Yes, egg donation is legal in Canada. Under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act (AHRA), individuals can donate their eggs altruistically, meaning without direct payment. However, eligible expenses related to the donation process can be reimbursed.

Can I withdraw from the donation process once I’ve started?

Yes. You have the legal right to withdraw your consent at any point before the eggs are fertilized. Once fertilization occurs, ownership transfers to the intended parents, and you can no longer change your mind.

Are there any legal limits on how many times I can donate?

There are no legal limits set by Canadian law, but most fertility clinics follow guidelines recommending a maximum number of donations—often six—based on considerations around genetics, health, and the emotional impact of donation.

Myths & Misconceptions

Myth: If I donate, I could be contacted later for child support.

Truth: That’s not possible. Legal contracts and Canadian law protect egg donors from any future obligations — financial or otherwise — to any resulting children.

Myth: Donating eggs automatically makes me part of the intended parents’ lives forever.

Truth: Not at all. Your level of involvement is defined by the agreement you make. Some donors choose to stay in touch; others prefer privacy. Both are perfectly valid.

Myth: Donating eggs makes you the legal parent of the child.

Truth: Egg donors do not have any legal or parental rights to children conceived from their donation. Legal parenthood rests entirely with the intended parents, as outlined in clear legal agreements.