We follow guidelines from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) with oversight from the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Here's what we look for:

1. Age 21-32
2. BMI between 19–29
3. Live within 90 minutes of Norwalk, CT
4. Available for 5–8 early morning appointments over 2–3 weeks
5. U.S. citizen or permanent resident
6. Healthy, non-smoker, no recreational drug use
7. Not pregnant or breastfeeding

Read our complete guide to egg donor requirements to learn more.

To become an egg donor, you will complete a thorough questionnaire categorizing your family history, personal medical history, and some of your personal achievements and lifestyle choices. We will also ask you to share the reason(s) why you would like to become a donor.

Egg donors are screened for infectious diseases, genetic conditions, and gynecologic health.

Because we view our egg donors as patients of our practice, this information, which is important to better understand your own reproductive health, will be provided to you for free - whether you are accepted into Illume's egg donor pool or not.

The screening process takes 4–8 weeks and includes several steps:

Application: Submit basic information through Egg Donor Connect (10 minutes). If you're a good fit, a coordinator will contact you via email to discuss details and answer questions.

Initial medical screening: You'll complete a transvaginal ultrasound to check your ovarian reserve, bloodwork to test your AMH level, genetic carrier screening, and a medical consult with an Illume physician.

Matching: Once initial tests are complete, you'll be added to our active donor list and matched with a recipient family.

Final screening: After matching, you'll complete a full physical exam, additional bloodwork (infectious diseases, hormones, blood type), records review (medications, vaccines, allergies), and a psychological evaluation with a licensed mental health professional.

Every month, eggs in a woman’s ovary mature inside fluid-filled cysts called follicles.

To remove the eggs, one of our board-certified reproductive endocrinologists will use a vaginal ultrasound to guide an extraction needle, which is only slightly larger in diameter than the needle used to draw blood from your arm. 

The actual egg collection process takes approximately 30-45 minutes (depending upon the number of follicles) and is performed in the surgical suite at our Norwalk, CT office.

You will be under anesthesia during this procedure, and will not feel any pain. This procedure is performed vaginally, so there is no incision. You will be temporarily groggy after the procedure and will need someone else to drive you home.

Once the eggs have been retrieved, we ask you to come back for a post-retrieval check-up so that we make sure that you are recovering properly.

Some donors experience little to no side effects after egg retrieval.

However, here are some of the most common side effects of this minor surgical procedure, which usually resolve quickly:

• Bloating
• Constipation
• Pelvic cramping

A nurse will review all potential side effects and symptoms to be aware of before your egg retrieval procedure.

Your total compensation will be $15,000 per cycle.

As an egg donor at Illume Fertility, you will also receive a free physical exam, chromosomal analysis, and genetic testing. 

Each donor can cycle up to six times in a lifetime, with the potential to receive up to $90,000.

No, there is no clinical data that suggests this process will affect your future fertility or your ability to have children of your own.

At the start of puberty, each woman has approximately 400,000 - 500,000 eggs, which is more than they will need during their reproductive years to successfully have children.

Please ask your doctor and/or nurse if you have any specific concerns or questions, we're happy to answer them.

The purpose of these screenings and consults is to ensure that all egg donors are fully informed and willing to participate in our program, and that each egg donor is a good candidate, both medically and psychologically.

Illume Fertility follows guidelines from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The screening is highly selective because we have a responsibility to both our egg donors and our egg donor recipients.

Illume Fertility egg donors may choose to be either known or non-identified to the recipient family. However, with the rise of genealogical tools like Ancestry.com and 23andMe, complete anonymity of donors can no longer be 100% guaranteed.