If you’re considering donating your eggs, congratulations! It is truly one of the greatest gifts one can give to another. As egg donation becomes a more mainstream option for building a family, more and more Asian couples are seeking an Asian egg donor. If you are a woman of Chinese, Japanese or Korean descent, read on to learn more about why and how to become an egg donor, plus what you need to know about egg donor compensation. This unique process is one that benefits everyone involved.
The importance of diversity in egg donation
We believe that egg donor diversity is about empowering intended parents with choice. Asian egg donors, for example, are in great demand. Cultural attitudes, in addition to many other factors, place a high priority on donors with Chinese, Japanese and Korean descent. Other backgrounds, including East Indian/Asian egg donors and Jewish egg donors are also consistently sought out by intended parents. It’s understandable that someone would want to select an egg donor who feels and looks like family, and who possess characteristics that make their ethnicity so unique. Egg donation can be challenging enough for an intended parent mourning the use of their own DNA, so a donor of the same ethnic background is often non-negotiable. In order to meet this need, we keep our donor database as diverse as possible.
Due to the scarcity of available eggs, whether it’s within certain areas of the world or within certain ethnic lines, the need is great. Whether she is an East Indian, Jewish or Asian egg donor, these backgrounds that are more difficult to find often receive a higher level of compensation
What’s the average compensation for an Asian egg donor?
The short answer: it depends. While the base pay for ConceiveAbilities donors is $8000 (above the industry norm) Asian donors are in extremely high demand. Because factors like ethnicity, location and the number of previous cycles impact egg donor pay, it’s likely that someone who meets one or more of those criteria will receive higher compensation. Asian donors typically receive upwards of $10,000 per cycle. Donor compensation will be discussed in much greater detail during your initial consultation with our team, so you will have a clearer idea of what you can expect your egg donor pay to be.
What are the requirements to become an egg donor?
There are a number of requirements to become an egg donor, ranging from medical to physical to mental health aspects. In order to be considered a suitable donor candidate, you must meet the following criteria.
You are of prime childbearing age. As it specifically relates to egg donation, you must be between the ages of 21-28 years old. If a candidate is outside of this range, she is more likely to have poor quality, or aneuploidy, eggs. This means the eggs have an abnormal number of cells and cannot develop into viable embryos.
You don’t smoke. This includes nicotine, vaping, and general drug use.
You are physically healthy. This includes a BMI under 28, regular monthly menstrual cycles, and no reproductive disorders or abnormalities.
Your birth control method matters. Donor candidates cannot currently be on the Depo-Provera shot or have an Implanon/Nexplanon arm implant. Not only can these hormones impact your cycle, they can impact the way your body responds to fertility medication.
You are committed to the process. This means being willing to undergo medical and psychological evaluations, as well as commit to the program for a minimum of 6 months and willingness to respond to all correspondence within 24 hours.
The value of donating your eggs
The reasons for becoming an egg donor are, of course, personal and vary from woman to woman. The financial benefit is a major incentive, with some donors using their egg donor compensation to help pay off student loans, to travel or to start a business venture. While the financial reward is enticing, it’s rarely the thing that motivates someone to go through with egg donation. Most donors find that there is something deeply gratifying about helping another person in such a profound way.
Cara, who donated five times, found a surprising sense of purpose in the process. “During and after the first match is when it really hits you that the intended parents on the other end are depending on you so much,” she explains. “The feeling of responsibility and benevolence was compounded after having experienced one donation, making my decision to donate again an easy one.”
How can you become an egg donor?
First, you’ll want to do your due diligence. That means research – everything from the requirements to the procedure itself to a reputable agency to work with. Egg donation is not a solo venture; you’ll want a team of professionals to help guide you through the nuances of the process. Here at ConceiveAbilities, we make that as straightforward as possible.
First, you’ll want to complete an online registration to become an egg donor. If your application is accepted, we’ll invite you to an intake interview. This is to discuss the process in more detail, but primarily to answer questions and to make sure egg donation is the right fit for you and your current lifestyle.
Next is matching; while the length of time it takes to make a match is variable, once you are matched with intended parents you can expect an average of about 3 months until the egg retrieval.
Throughout the process, you can expect one-to-one support and education, legal guidance and, of course, the security of working with industry pioneers. If you’re an Asian egg donor ready to take the first steps on this rewarding journey, we are here to support and look forward to meeting you!