Without exception, our altruistic egg donors have something in common: positivity, kindness, empathy and a very strong desire to help someone else.
If you are thinking of being an egg donor, you also need to be within the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) guidelines, and these are:
- aged between 18 and 35 years old,
- that you’re fit and healthy.
- being within normal limits of weight and height, with a BMI of under 30
- having no history in the family of inherited diseases or genetic disorders.
- not having any serious mental health issues – either yourself or a history in the family.
Why egg donors need to be under 35
Some women will assume that they can become an egg donor after the age of 35 if they still have periods. Unfortunately after this age the eggs in the ovary start to undergo subtle genetic changes, resulting in fewer eggs or an increased risk of miscarriage and abnormalities with the growing baby. As you’ll appreciate, this in turn causes problems for the recipient during pregnancy or when a baby arrives. It’s for this reason that the upper age for egg donors is 35.
Why you need to have a BMI below 30 to donate eggs
Having a healthy BMI is important. If you have a BMI above 30 (someone who is over their expected weight), you might not respond to the stimulation as expected and could be putting yourself at a greater risk. The same goes for someone with a very low BMI, in which case you would be advised to gain a little weight before going through the process of donating eggs.