Over 30 – Can I Still Donate My Eggs?

If you’re over 30 and interested in donating your eggs, then here’s what you should know. The truth is, the egg donation process can be a little selective and since there’s a plethora of information that might confuse, deter, or prevent you from donating, this article will explain the process for individuals looking to donate but are unsure if their age will affect their screening.

Becoming an Egg Donor

Egg donors are responsible for providing the bare essentials conductive to the miracle of childbirth, mainly, for families who are unable to have children without assistance. If you’re over 30 and plan on donating, then you might be wondering how stringent the rules are, in terms of the maximum age for egg donors, and whether you’ll be allowed to donate your eggs. All egg donor programs have age restrictions, but most don’t explain the exact reasoning behind this requirement.

Egg Donor Requirements

The following list bears a few examples of the minimum requirements to become an egg donor.
At Simple Surrogacy, the donation requirements are:

• Between the ages of 18 – 30
• Be a resident of the U.S. or Canada
• No sexually transmitted diseases
• BMI must be 33 or lower
• Not smoke or be alcohol dependent
• Forgo intercourse for the duration of the egg donation process (about 1 month)
• No contraceptive implants or Depo-Provera injections within the last 8 months
• Psychologically healthy along with no family history of inheritable genetic disorders
• No substance abuse or use of any psychoactive drugs
• Be dependable and capable of self-administering injections

Some of the physical conditions, like age or BMI, may vary slightly, depending on the specific center you’re donating to, but most of the other agencies have the same requirements. On the other hand, an egg donor might meet the qualifications but there’s no absolute guarantee that the eggs will be accepted due to the fertility, medical, genetic/family, or psychological screening.

Age Restriction

Although the ages can range, sometimes as young as 18 and as old as 31, it all depends on the center you visit and their requirements. The reason behind this restriction is because the eggs’ quality is thought to lessen as the woman gets older. Furthermore, many women who pursue IVF with donor eggs are doing so because they suffer from infertility due to age-related issues. If you are donating your eggs to a relative, then certain clinics may be more flexible with their age requirements. In addition, proven donors or donors donating for sibling journeys might be able to donate if they are over 30.

The Dependent Factor

Aging can affect the eggs due to chromosomal abnormality; older eggs are more likely to accumulate errors in their DNA during cell division and this, among other complications, can randomize the chances of successful fertilization. IVF with donor eggs is such an expensive treatment because it involves collecting a significant number of eggs and attempting to fertilize and implant them. Aside from the financial aspect, the process, physically and emotionally, affects the donor – with a giant time commitment and physical responsibility – and the client, who has most likely gone through a very emotional journey before deciding to do IVF.

In Conclusion

With all of this in mind, the greatest chance to fertilize, implant, and successfully give birth is the biggest priority for everyone. Despite the implication between egg quality and age, and what it means for older donors, it’s up to the clinic and IVF physician to make the best decision for the donor and the client. In these cases, the availability of the donors and the physical, psychological, and emotional screenings can often be the deciding factor.