Egg Donor Compensation: How Much Does Egg Donation Pay?

I was able to payoff student debt. The compensation opened up my whole future.

Betsy, Egg Donor

Pay the future forward

Becoming an egg donor is a way to invest in your future, now. As a potential egg donor, imagine the joy you receive helping an intended parent fulfill their greatest dream. In addition to that, we are one of the highest-paying egg donor agencies. Our egg donor compensation is competitive industry-wide.

By becoming an egg donor, you can move your future forward while creating a future family for someone else.

I am still saving the compensation and deciding what to do with it. Maybe a trip to Africa or a down payment on a condo. I have options.

Rebecca, Egg Donor

Become an egg donor Become a surrogate

How much do egg donors get paid?

$10,000 is our starting egg donor pay, for all applicants, as of 12/1/22, and it goes up from there. Factors that affect pay include location, ethnicity and the number of previous egg donations.

Egg donor compensation covers the entire egg donation cycle, including egg retrieval. When you have your initial consultation with us, we will go over your individual situation, our egg donation agency locations, egg donor requirements and what you can expect your egg donation pay to be.

However, before you apply to become an egg donor, we also want to let you know about our surrogacy program, which can actually offer much more compensation than egg donation (up to $72,000 depending on where you live and your current salary) and, for some, even more fulfillment.

Start the Egg Donation Process Learn more about surrogacy

Frequently Asked Questions About Egg Donation

What is egg donation?

Egg donation is a process by which a woman provides her eggs to another woman to assist in the conception of a baby. Egg donation is a safe and widely accepted means of assisting reproduction. For women whose medical conditions prevent them from becoming pregnant, egg donation (in conjunction with in-vitro fertilization) can be a means to starting a family.

How long does the egg donation process take?

Three to five months is the standard timeframe for an egg donation process. During this time, your dedicated Match Manager at ConceiveAbilities will stay in contact with you to ensure that the process moves along in a quick manner and that you’re well supported throughout your experience.

Does it matter where I live to be an egg donor?

Yes. There is an important two-week time period when you will receive fertility shots of certain hormones and you will need to be proximate to your intended parent(s)’s fertility clinic or local monitoring partner clinic for close monitoring.

Why are there age limits on being an egg donor?

The process of harvesting eggs during egg donation is age critical. On average, women begin to have a decline in fertility around the age of 31. Because female fertility is at its peak between the ages of 18 to 28, The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), reputable fertility clinics, and ConceiveAbilities set the requirement that egg donors must be between the ages of 18 to 28. We do, however, work with past donors up to the age of 32, and, if you are a previous donor with another company, we will need the records from your previous donations.

If you are interested in helping build another family and are older than these ages, you can consider becoming a surrogate with us.

I am adopted, can I still be an egg donor?

Yes. You must have access to the medical history of both of your biological parents and at least one set of biological grandparents.

How many times can I be an egg donor?

ConceiveAbilities follows the recommendations of The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and its guidelines recommend egg donors donate no more than 6 times in their lifetime.

Can I still donate if I'm on birth control?

If you have a non-hormonal IUD, it can typically remain in place, depending on the requirements of your intended parent(s)’s fertility clinic.

Mirena IUD and Norplant implants are not compatible with egg donation and will need to be removed. Egg donors must remain off Depo Provera and the Nexplanon/Implanon arm implant for several months before they can donate.

If your intended parent(s)’s fertility clinic requires your IUD to be removed, this will occur close to the retrieval date. If removal is required, it will be at your own expense.

Can I still donate if I have had an STD/STI?

Yes. You will need an updated Pap test and follow-up lab tests showing no current STD/STI infections 12 months prior to a match. We recommend all egg donors practice safe sex using condoms to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections and diseases.

How do intended parents choose me as their egg donor? When will I be matched?

Your profile will come to life in our secure egg donor database. Intended parents looking for an egg donor will create password-protected search accounts to view profiles of you and other possible egg donors. Once we have an intended parent who would like to choose you, we’ll be in contact to confirm your availability for a match and an egg retrieval cycle.

The waiting period to be matched is different for every donor. Some are matched right away, and some may wait for a few months. During this waiting period, a member of our ConceiveAbilities team will be in contact with you periodically to check in, get life updates and work with you on any new photos you may want for your profile.

What kind of pictures do you want submitted?

We recommend including about 20 to 25 photos in your file. These pictures can range from childhood years to current times and the pictures can include friends and family. Please label who’s who in pictures with others!

Feel free to email ConceiveAbilities as many pictures as you can; we love getting to know you and photos are super helpful in the matching process. Please keep in mind that these photos are the first impression intended parents will have of you when they are selecting an egg donor. They are looking for the best representation of physical attributes to help them find an egg donor who is right for them.

While selfies are easy to take, they don’t always accurately capture you. If possible, have a friend or family member take your photos so you get the best quality and reflection of who you are.

What is a Known Match?

In known matches, you exchange contact information with the intended parents and you have contact with each other during the matching process and possibly in the future. If applicable, we will set up a phone/video call between you and the Intended Parents.

Do I have to stay abstinent during the entire process?

No, not for the entire process. The average period of abstinence is 3 to 4 weeks while you are on medications preparing for retrieval of your eggs. During periods when you are sexually active, we recommend all egg donors practice safe sex using condoms to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections and diseases.

Are travel expenses paid?

Yes! If out of town travel is required for your medical work-up at your intended parent(s)’ fertility clinic, ConceiveAbilities will directly book and pay for your airfare and reimburse you through an escrow account service for hotel, taxi/rideshare, parking, and baggage fees. For the egg retrieval process, ConceiveAbilities will also directly book and pay for your hotel. You will also be given a meal allowance of $75 a day for yourself or $125 a day for you and a companion. All receipts are emailed to your Match Manager and are quickly reimbursed.

Can I be seen by my personal doctor for the process?

Unfortunately not for the egg donation process. You must be seen by your intended parent(s)’s fertility doctor or local monitoring fertility clinic.

Do I have to give myself injections?

Yes, you or your partner will give yourself hormone shots for approximately 10 to 14 days. The injections are small, subcutaneous (just below the skin’s surface) shots used to stimulate egg maturation within the ovaries. The shots are given either in the inner thigh or lower abdominal fatty areas.

Is it painful to be an egg donor?

The egg retrieval is done under sedation so an egg donor will not experience pain during the retrieval. After the procedure, a donor may possibly experience some fatigue or cramping. Any pain post retrieval is usually compared to that of a mild period and the fertility clinic will likely prescribe tylenol or ibuprofen for pain relief, as well as rest and plenty of fluids to minimize discomfort.

What are the side effects of egg donation?

Allergic reactions are rare. There is a small risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) developing during an egg donation cycle. Symptoms occur after the egg retrieval and involve swelling of the ovaries, bloating, weight gain, abdominal pain or, rarely, more extreme symptoms.

Although it has never happened in ConceiveAbilities’ program, there have been very rare and extremely limited cases of infertility or death. Our thorough egg donor screening process aims to ensure that egg donation is a healthy and successful process for each and every egg donor.

How much do I get paid as an egg donor? And when do I get paid?

For egg donors applying on or after 12/1/22, egg donor compensation starts at $10,000, and can be more. You will receive your payment after your retrieval. To learn more, go to the Compensation section of the guide. If, however, you become a surrogate with ConceiveAbilities, you can make up to $72,000 depending on where you live and your current salary.

Is egg donation compensation taxable income?

Yes, the income you earn as a donor is taxable. The escrow company will issue you a 1099-S form per the United States Tax Court ruling of 2015.

Will donating affect my own fertility?

There is a myth that egg donation depletes your egg supply. The egg donation process utilizes eggs that would otherwise be lost. Each time you have your period, a group of eggs grows inside the ovaries. Eventually, one egg becomes the dominant leader and the rest of the eggs stop growing and are reabsorbed back into the body. During your menstrual cycle, all of these eggs essentially die.

When you donate eggs, your body matures multiple eggs per cycle. The hormone injections trigger your ovaries to produce more eggs than normally produced by your body normally. These medications also turn off the ability for one egg to be the dominant egg. When the retrieval occurs, all eggs are allowed to grow, even those that would have been absorbed back into the body in a normal menstrual cycle. The egg donation, therefore, is utilizing eggs that would otherwise have been lost. This is why there is no depletion of your egg count from the donation.

How long do I need to wait between cycles if I'd like to donate again?

If you decide you’d like to donate your eggs more than one time, you will need to have two regular periods between the end of one donation process and the start of the next.