Become an egg donor: Donate your eggs

If you’re wondering how you can become an egg donor and start donating eggs in the UK, you’re one of hundreds of women who contact us each week, wanting to make a difference in someone else’s life.

In the UK, donating eggs is regulated by the HFEA, the fertility regulator. The HFEA provides guidance to UK fertility clinics about donor screening and sets the compensation available to donors. Find out more

In the UK the easiest way to find out how to donate your eggs is to contact an

It is illegal to pay someone for their eggs and so choosing to donate your eggs is a selfless act that can be life-changing for someone else.

You will be compensated up to £750 per egg donation cycle for out of pocket expenses such as train fares, childcare or accommodation. At Apricity we only accept donors who live in the UK.

Donating your eggs shouldn’t hurt and is a relatively painless procedure.

Some women report period cramps for a few hours following egg collection, with a few reporting some pain the following day. Most of our egg donors return to their everyday routine straight away, whether going back to work or socialising - however a majority choose to rest in bed with a hot water bottle! Find out more in our guide,

In the UK, women who donate through clinics and egg banks do so anonymously. Your recipient will not receive any identifying information about you. However, any children born from your donation will have the right to ask the HFEA for information about their donor or any donor-conceived siblings when they turn 16 and contact information when they turn 18.

The HFEA doesn’t hold any information for people who donated before 1st August 1992, though the Donor Conceived Register may still hold this information.

The HFEA states that women who donate eggs must do so before their 36th birthday. This is because a woman’s egg quality starts to decline, bringing increased risk of genetic abnormalities or miscarriage.

A healthy BMI is important so that you can respond to the stimulation medication without increased risk. If your BMI is very low, below 18, then you would be advised to gain some weight before starting donation.

The egg donor must pass associated health checks prior to donation to ensure both the baby and mother do not inherit any serious or genetic illnesses from the donated eggs including Type 1 Diabetes. The egg donation process is generally very safe but nevertheless poses very

Smoking impacts the quality of eggs as toxins in cigarettes thicken the egg walls which can impact the chance of successful fertilisation. Heavy alcohol and recreational drug use can impact egg fertilisation and also impact your own health through weakening your immune system.

There are lower rates of fertilisation in eggs that have been impacted by heavy alcohol consumption and recreational drug use. It poses more of a health risk to the egg donor as well, given their weakened immune system and the need to fit our requirement for egg donors in good health.

No. Egg donation with Apricity is extremely safe and will not prevent you from having children in the future. If a clinic identifies any risk for you at any point, you will not be able to continue. Your health and safety comes first.

Each ovary contains about half a million eggs. During the egg donation process you will only donate about the same number of eggs as you would naturally lose during that month’s cycle, so about 10-15 eggs. This will leave you with hundreds of thousands of eggs for the future. When you have the initial screening appointment in the clinic, if your doctor considers you to be at risk in any way or your fertility could be affected, then you would not be allowed to continue with egg donation.

You must feel free to change your mind before committing to the

As an egg donor you will have no legal rights or responsibilities for any children born from your donation. You won’t have to pay anything towards their care or be involved in raising them. When they turn 18 they will have the right to contact you, whether you would like to be in contact or have a relationship will be up to you.

Becoming an egg donor is a journey that calls for a high level of commitment on your part, and a clear understanding of everything that will be involved. At

It is important that you are sure as you can be, of your decision to go ahead with egg donation. The person we will match you with is likely to have had many years of disappointment and heartache trying to conceive a baby and experiencing a growing sense of loss and despair with every month that goes by.

Finding someone like you, who is willing to become a donor for them, can seem like the end of a nightmare – a real light at the end of their tunnel that gives them hope and the first chance of happiness for years.

We completely understand that sometimes ‘life’ and unforeseen circumstances can get in the way of plans, and that little can be done to change this. If this happens, and you feel that you can’t go ahead with donating eggs then of course you have the right to withdraw at any time. However, we do need to know so that we can help you and manage the situation to look after the person who you were due to help. Sometimes putting things on hold for a little time can help ease the pressure you might feel, without causing undue stress and anxiety for anyone else.

We will never put you under any pressure to continue, but you do need to understand that once you start the egg donation process and have been referred to a clinic, there will be significant costs for whoever you’re helping, both financial and emotional. All we can ask of you as an egg donor is that you recognise the serious thought and commitment that is needed, and the emotional impact that withdrawing later on in the process will have on others.

So, if you do decide that perhaps donating eggs is not right for you, then we would much rather you told us before we begin the process of matching you with a couple, and certainly before any appointment at a clinic.