UPDATED: December 16, 2025

Confused by all the conflicting information out there about egg donation? Well, you’re in luck! We’re about to set the record straight.

Here at Family Source Consultants, we’re used to hearing the same sort of questions about how egg donation works and what you can expect. Let’s break down the top five questions that egg donors ask.

  • The amount paid for egg donation will vary between agencies. At FSC you’ll receive at least $10k per cycle.
  • The egg retrieval procedure is not painful! You will be sedated for this 10-to-30-minute procedure.
  • Egg donation does not cause infertility.
  • Donating your eggs is completely legal.
  • When you donate your eggs, you relinquish all legal rights to the child.
  • There are strict requirements for becoming an egg donor.

1. How Much Does Egg Donation Pay?

This is definitely one of the most-asked questions!

The amount you can expect to make as an egg donor will vary between agencies. At Family Source Consultants, egg donors receive at least $10k per donation cycle. You can donate for up to six cycles, and the payment increases with your level of experience.

You’ll also be compensated for all other expenses that accompany your donation journey, including:

  • Medical tests and appointments
  • Medications
  • Legal fees
  • Transportation
  • Meals
  • Accommodations

2. Is the Egg Donation Process Painful?

Good news – it’s really not! Most donors describe the process as uncomfortable.

The only time you might experience some pain during is during the egg donation is with the injections. Many of your fertility medications are injected into the fatty tissue just above the muscle. There are a ton of ways to reduce any pain you might feel during injections, and your egg donor coordinator will be happy to share their advice with you!

Another discomfort you might experience is the side effects of fertility drugs. They can feel quite similar to getting your period. You may experience mood swings, bloating, tender breasts, and headaches.

There is absolutely no pain involved during the donation procedure itself because you’ll be under sedation for the egg retrieval process.

3. Does Egg Donation Cause Infertility?

No! After decades of research, there has been no scientific evidence showing any link between infertility and egg donation.

During a typical menstrual cycle, your ovaries begin maturing 10-20 eggs, but only one of these will reach ovulation. The reaming eggs are reabsorbed into the body. The egg donation cycle is similar. However, the fertility medications allow all of the eggs to mature at once, rather than just one.

In other words, egg donation does not use extra eggs or reduce fertility. It ‘saves’ the eggs that would have gone unused.

4. Is it Legal to Sell My Eggs?

Let’s clear this up: you’re not actually ‘selling’ your eggs. You’re donating them to a couple or an individual who cannot produce eggs themselves. The money you receive for donating your eggs is to compensate for your time, effort, and incredible generosity.

It’s also legal for you to donate anonymously or to share your identity with your prospective Intended Parents. This decision is entirely up to you.

5. Am I Considered the Parent of Any Babies That Are Born from My Donation?

No. Agreeing to donate our eggs means that you relinquish all legal rights to the child, and you are under no obligation to care or provide for them at any stage. Although you are the biological mother of the resulting child, you are not the legal parent.

Your egg donor agency will provide you with an attorney, and you will sign a contract to ensure you have no legal rights or responsibilities to any children born as a result of your donation.

6. Do I Qualify to Become an Egg Donor?

There are some strict requirements for becoming an egg donor. For most donor agencies (including Family Source Consultants) this means you must:

  • Be in overall good health
  • Be between the ages of 20-30 years old
  • Have a body mass index (BMI) of 18-28
  • Have a minimum of a high school equivalency diploma (GED)
  • Be 100% okay with receiving fertility medication injections
  • Not use hormonal birth control device or the birth control shot for at least eight months prior to your donation.
  • Be free from any nicotine or illegal drugs
  • Know at least one-half of your genetic makeup or family medical history
  • Have reliable transportation to and from their appointments
  • Pass a physical and psychological screening process

Have More Questions?

Every egg donor is different, and every egg donor’s experience is different. The best way to figure out if this is the right path for you is by researching and learning more!

If you have any questions about becoming an egg donor, we would be happy to answer them. Call or email us for a chat!

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Staci Swiderski, CEO and owner of Family Source Consultants, has been a prominent leader in reproductive medicine for over two decades. Through her strategic vision and dedication, she has developed Family Source Consultants into a globally recognized agency specializing in comprehensive egg donation and gestational surrogacy services. Under Staci’s leadership, the agency has become a trusted partner for intended parents, surrogates, and egg donors worldwide, known for its rigorous standards, compassionate support, and commitment to excellence in third-party reproduction.

Her professional insight is uniquely informed by her own family-building experiences. As an intended parent, Staci welcomed her son via gestational surrogacy in 2005, and as a known egg donor, she assisted an infertile couple in expanding their family. These experiences lend a rare depth to her leadership and have fueled her ongoing dedication to ethical, empathetic, and professional support within the field of reproductive medicine.