MyEggBank is actively monitoring the global developments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Please review our updated policies in light of COVID-19.
We know that choosing your egg donor is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. We want to give you peace of mind that we have screened all of our donors rigorously.
Our donors must be healthy women between the ages of 21 and 33 who meet Body Mass Index criteria to ensure a healthy weight for their height. We look for donors of all ethnic origins to provide a diverse selection for recipients to choose from.
We then perform an extensive screening process to ensure good general health, good reproductive health, solid genetic history and psychological stability. Our screening meets, and exceeds, the donor screening guidelines required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).
Our work-up includes:
A thorough application by the donor detailing:
A three-generation family medical and personal medical history
Personal, education and work history
Personal statements and characteristics
Screening for travel to any Zika-prone areas
Four In-person assessments with experienced clinicians:
An interview with a registered nurse
A thorough physical exam with a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant
A consultation with a board-certified genetic counselor
A psychological examination
The following medical testing:
Blood tests for infectious diseases, drug usage, sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] and hormone levels to gauge fertility
Genetic testing and karyotype testing
Ultrasound to evaluate fertility
With our genetic testing, you can have confidence that all MyEggBank donors have been screened for a minimum of 23 genetic disorders as recommended by practice guidelines from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (www.asrm.org), American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (www.ACMG.net), and American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (www.ACOG.org). These diseases include but are not limited to: Cystic Fibrosis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Sickle Cell Disease, Alpha and Beta Thalassemia, and Tay-Sachs Disease. In addition, all donors have had their chromosomes tested via high resolution karyotype. Some donors have been screened for close to 300 genetic disorders. Please refer to the individual donor’s genetic report form for confirmation of the specific disorders tested for in that donor.
As with any screening test, a negative test result greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the possibility that a donor could be a carrier of an inheritable condition.
MyEggBank strongly recommends that recipients discuss their selected donor’s genetic report with their treatment provider to verify that the donor is suitable for your family. The donor’s genetic results should be reviewed and cross-referenced with genetic results of your preferred sperm source. We also encourage you to schedule a session with a certified genetic counselor to review these results. Genetic counselors from our carrier screening lab, Natera, are available to discuss these results with MyEggBank recipients at no additional cost to you.
You may request additional carrier screening on your chosen donor. We particularly encourage this if your preferred sperm source has tested positive as a carrier for an inherited condition that your selected donor has not been tested for.
If you have questions about MyEggBank’s genetic testing or want to inquire about these additional services, you can speak to your treatment provider or contact MyEggBank here or at 1.866.537.8642.
MyEggBank’s donation process is identity restricted, meaning your donor’s identity will not be shared with you. MyEggBank will not disclose a donor's identity without the expressed written consent of the donor except as required by law.
MyEggBank donation centers do offer donors the option to have their identity disclosed to a child born from their eggs when he or she reaches age 18. Families who select a MyEggBank donor who has "opted in" may have the opportunity for their adult donor-conceived child to access identifying information of the donor, unless the donor has subsequently changed her mind. The donor’s identity can only be disclosed directly to the child (not to the recipient or a family representative). It is up to the child whether he or she wishes to make contact with the donor upon receiving the information.
Parents of children conceived from donated eggs (or sperm) often struggle whether to disclose the genetic background of the child to the child and/or to others. It is your decision if, when, to whom, and how to share this information. We recommend that you share the information with your OB/GYN and with your child's pediatrician, so they can better care for both you and your child. We also encourage you to share this information with your child in an age appropriate way.
Finally, MyEggBank donors are not made aware of the outcome of their eggs. At no time will a donor be provided with identifying information regarding recipients of their eggs or their donor-derived children unless the donor has 'opted in' AND the adult donor-derived child initiates contact with the donor after turning 18.
"I loved the idea of being able to make a couple’s hopes and dreams of having a baby come true."
"I have a close friend who went through a very long fertility battle.I knew that there were so many people out there like her who want nothing more than to be parents."
"The compensation was a big motivator and has helped me in the process of paying for school. It has been really rewarding knowing that I have possibly helped a couple start a family who couldn’t do it on their own."
"I have children of my own and they are the most amazing aspect of my life.The thought of not being able to have children hurts my heart."
