The Egg Donation Process – Step by Step
If you are one of these amazing and caring women, it is very important that you fully understand the egg donation process, so that you are able to make an informed choice about donating a few of your eggs.
At Cape Fertility, we have been leading the way in egg donation since 1993 and for the last 29 years, we have worked with thousands of egg donors just like you in a friendly, relaxed and caring environment at our advanced medical facilities in the beautiful city of Cape Town. (It doesn’t matter if you don’t live in Cape Town, if you are selected to complete an egg donation, all your travel and accommodation arrangements and all your expenses will be covered.)
We have streamlined the egg donation process into 7 simple steps to make the experience as easy and hassle-free as possible for our egg donors. In addition, our team at Cape Fertility is with you, supporting you, throughout every step in the egg donation process, as well as after your egg donation is completed.
Step #1 – Simply contact us
The first step is simply applying to become an egg donor. You can do this right now by simply filling in your contact details here, or contacting our Egg Donor Fairy Godmother, Linda, on 072 698 7919 or linda@capefertility.co.za.
** Please be assured that your information is 100% confidential and will under no circumstances be made available to anybody else.
Linda has a wealth of information and experience in supporting egg donors and she will gladly answer all your questions and guide you step-by-step on this amazing journey.
Step #2 – Complete a confidential medical questionnaire
The next step is simply to complete a confidential medical questionnaire. This questionnaire is required to find out if you are medically suitable to be an egg donor. Linda will gladly assist you in completing the questionnaire if necessary.
Step #3 – Complete your Egg Donor Profile
If your completed medical questionnaire confirms that you are medically fit to donate eggs, the next step is to complete an Egg Donor Profile. Linda will also assist you in completing this profile, which is completely anonymous and confidential.
Your Egg Donor Profile contains only information about your physical characteristics (such as height, weight, hair and eye colour, etc), medical background, education and hobbies, lifestyle choices and interests, as well as childhood photos. Your name, personal details or adult photos will never be shared with anyone to ensure your donation remains anonymous.
Because egg donation in South Africa must, by law, be anonymous and confidential, the disclosure of the identity of either the egg donor or the recipient is prohibited. If you donate eggs at Cape Fertility, you can rest assured your privacy and anonymity are guaranteed.
Step #4 – Get selected by egg donation recipients
The next step is adding your anonymous Egg Donor Profile to Cape Fertility’s world-class and secure database of egg donors.
Only potential egg donation recipients are provided with secure access to this database, so only moms-and-dads-to-be, who are looking for an egg donor, can browse through the Egg Donor Profiles to select an egg donor. Some moms-and-dads-to-be look for an egg donor that matches their own physical characteristics, while others look for egg donors who have similar interest or hobbies.
At Cape Fertility, our team facilitates more egg donor matches than any other clinic in South Africa. We have many local and international recipients every month who need an egg donor, and because there are fewer egg donors than couples who need eggs to achieve their dream of becoming pregnant, our egg donors have a very good chance of being selected to donate quickly, if not immediately.
Step #5 – Attend a 2-hour medical appointment
Only once your profile has been selected by an egg donation recipient, we will invite you to attend a 2-hour appointment to meet with one of our fertility specialists and our psychologist.
During this appointment, your fertility specialist will explain the full egg donation procedure to you. At this time, you will be able to ask any questions you may still need answered and to discuss any concerns you might have.
During your appointment, you will also have a detailed medical examination, including routine investigations and a psychological assessment.
Step #6 – Complete an egg donation cycle
The next step is to complete an egg donation cycle, during which you will be cared for by our medical team of fertility specialists, qualified nursing sisters, our resident psychologist and your dedicated Egg Donor Co-ordinator and Fairy Godmother, Linda.
Having safely completed thousands of treatments and having cared for egg donors’ emotional and medical needs for many years, this team is there for you 24/7.
The egg donation cycle starts with fertility injections for 10-12 days to grow the eggs. You will need to attend about four doctor’s appointments over the two-week period for regular ultrasounds to check the development of the eggs and to ensure you are responding well to the medication.
On egg retrieval day, you will need to take a full day off work or your daily activities. The egg retrieval is performed by one of our fertility specialist doctors using a vaginal ultrasound and a fine needle. Under a mild general anaesthetic, you will sleep during the 30 minutes procedure. You will not experience any pain during the procedure – there is no cutting, stitches or scarring. After the procedure, you will stay in recovery for about 1 hour before going home.
In South Africa, by law, egg donors can be compensated for reasonable expenses – such as getting to and from the clinic for the various appointments and for the procedure on egg donation day. The maximum permissible compensation allowable in South Africa is currently R8000 per donation cycle. At Cape Fertility, this maximum compensation is paid by us directly to you, on the day of and after your egg donation.
Step #7 – Stay in touch!
After your egg donation experience, Linda and our team will remain in contact with you. You can decide whether you would like to remain available for another donation. Many donors donate more than once because they find the joy of helping to fulfil another’s dream such a rewarding experience.
The maximum permissible compensation allowable in South Africa is also paid to you for every egg donation cycle.
Take Your First Step Right Now
If you are willing to donate eggs to help another woman fulfil her dream of having her own baby, you will be pleased to know that you can take the first step right now.
Simply fill in your contact details here, or contact our Egg Donor Fairy God Mother, Linda, on 072 698 7919 or linda@capefertility.co.za. Remember, your information is 100% confidential and will under no circumstances be shared.
We look forward to welcoming you to our friendly, professional and leading fertility clinic and supporting you throughout your entire egg donation process, as well as after your egg donation is completed.