Being an egg donor
Donating your eggs
Becoming an egg donor can offer hope to a large number of women who previously thought they'd never have children
Fertility appointments
020 7881 2000Things to consider before egg donation
Women considering egg donation should be aware that egg recipients will be provided with non-identifying information such as height and ethnicity. However, at no point will the egg donor's name be revealed to the recipient.
Since 2005, children born as a result of egg or sperm donation have the right to access identifiable information about their donor once they reach 18 years of age. An egg donor's details will be kept on the HFEA Register, where they are carefully protected and are not available to the general public. Only those with a right to this information by law, namely donor-conceived people aged 18 or over, will have access to it. If they contact the HFEA, they will be told:
- The donor's name.
- The donor's date of birth.
- The donor's place of birth.
- The donor's address at the time of treatment.
The Lister Fertility Clinic does not currently hold information about how often children seek out their donors as the first generation of children born under this law will not turn 18 years old until 2023.
Donors have no legal rights to children born as a result of their donated eggs.
If donors would like to know the outcome of their cycle they can contact the Lister Fertility Clinic at any time. The clinical team can tell a donor whether any children were born as a result of their egg donation as well as the sex of any such children and/or the year they were born.
We cannot provide donors with the names or other identifying information about donor conceived children.
Who can be an egg donor?
What tests will be done before I am accepted?
Two HIV tests will be carried out; the first test will be on the day of the initial consultation and the second will be 12 weeks later. With your consent we will write to your GP to obtain your past and present medical history.
Will I have to pay for treatment?
Our team
We work with leading fertility experts across a range of medical fields, including gynaecology and urology.
That means you’ll be supported by a whole team of experts, from consultants, embryologists and sonographers to counsellors and experienced fertility-trained nurse practitioners.
FAQs about egg donation
Specialists from the Lister Fertility Clinic answer the frequently asked questions about being an egg donor
Will being a donor affect my fertility?
Many of our donors have donated several times and have continued to have children of their own.
Will I have counselling?
You will be seen by a counsellor on your first visit to discuss the ethical, legal and social aspects of egg donation and to ensure you fully understand the procedure and the ethical aspects involved in donation.
Our free counselling service is available to all patients before, during and after treatment.
What will happen if I change my mind?
You are free to withdraw consent to your egg donation at any time until the embryos are used, without threat of financial penalty or fear of recrimination. If you are undergoing sterilisation or other related surgery, those procedures will still be performed on the terms already agreed.
How many times can I donate?
This will be a joint decision between you and your doctor (however, the law states that no more than 10 families should be born from any one donor).
Will the donation be anonymous?
Yes, neither egg donor nor egg recipient will meet. However, information about the donor will be held at the central register with the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority (HFEA). At the age of 18 a person born as a result of sperm, egg or embryo donation will have access to identifying information about their donor. This will not apply to donation treatment received before 1 April 2005.
What information will I be given about the egg recipient?
We can inform the egg donor whether a live birth has resulted from their egg donation and, if so, the number of children born.
What information will my egg recipient be given about me?
All information given to the egg recipient will be non-identifying. We try to match egg donor and recipient physical characteristics as closely as possible.
What support is available?
If you have any questions before, during or after your donation, please feel free to call the Lister Fertility Clinic team, who will be glad to help. Our counsellor is available at any time during or after your treatment.
More information on egg donation can be found on the HFEA website
Our locations
From complex fertility treatment and surgery to diagnostic tests and scans, we provide access to exceptional fertility and reproductive care across our network of fertility clinics.
-
Lister Fertility Clinic at The Portland Hospital
First Floor
215 Great Portland Street
London W1W 5PN
Get in touch
If you want to book an appointment with one of our fertility specialists, or if you have any questions about how we can help, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
You can also book an appointment at one of our fertility clinics. Simply click the links below, or call our team on: 020 7881 2000
Request an appointment at Lister Fertility Clinic, Chelsea
Request an appointment at Lister Fertility Clinic, The Portland Hospital