Shady Grove Fertility

Arlington, VA

Fresh Egg Donors Frozen Egg Donors

Frequently Asked Question for Egg Donors at Shady Grove Fertility

How are donors selected to begin the testing phase?

You must first be initially accepted and then you will be asked to complete and submit the official application (your donor profile) to become an egg donor. It is important you make every possible attempt to answer all questions thoroughly and try to get accurate family medical histories. The donor liaisons not only assess the profile for completeness, including review of your medical history, but also to help determine if the donor applicant meets our recipients’ needs.

If your donor profile clears this portion of the recruitment process, the next step will be for one of our certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNPs) to review your profile and give the initial medical approval to continue with screening. The CRNP may ask for additional information or clarification or decide that the donor should not continue with screening.

What is the time commitment?

While it is difficult to give an exact time frame, from the start of the application process through the egg retrieval/donation, the average cycle is 3 months. This includes the screening and evaluation to become an egg donor, followed by the actual egg donation treatment cycle. Donor Day and the day of the egg retrieval are the only appointments where you will absolutely need to request a day off from work or plan to miss classes.

During the process you may also need to take time away from work or class to consult with one of our licensed mental health professionals; however, they work very closely with you and your schedule. We conduct the remaining appointments for lab work and ultrasounds early each morning from about 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., allowing you to schedule your appointment before normal working hours.

What effects will the medication have on my body?

The hormone injections that you take are very similar to the hormones that your body produces naturally. Most women do not describe any noted effects directly from the medications. During Donor Day, you will receive a detailed explanation of potential risks and side effects.

One of our nurses will teach you how to administer your medications by using a very small needle to inject the medication into a small section of your abdomen.

If I donate now, will I be able to have children in the future?

There is no research supporting any adverse effect on your current or future fertility. About half of our donors are mothers already, and many eventually have children of their own following donation.

In addition to the overwhelming sense of fulfillment obtained from egg donation, donors will leave the process with significant information about their own fertility during and after donation. This, and the free genetic testing and counseling received prior to donation, provide insight that may eventually impact important personal life decisions and allow you to learn a little bit more about who you are.

Must I have a child previously to be considered for egg donation?

No. Whether you have had no children or you have had multiple children, you are welcome to pursue this endeavor.

Can I donate more than once?

If one of our physicians approves you to donate again, you may donate up to six times in your lifetime. Approximately 70% of cycling donors are repeat donors. About 2 months following your egg retrieval, a physician will review your donation cycle and the recipient outcomes to determine your future eligibility. This review process can take up to 8 weeks. A Donor Liaison will contact you, update any consent forms, and upload your profile back into the donor registry. As long as all labs are up to date according to our protocol, you can go back on the registry immediately.

What if I have already donated my eggs with another practice?

We are excited to work with you, but do require you obtain copies of your records from your prior donations. Once we review your records, if you’re accepted into our program, we will compensate you based on the number of your previous donations.

What will the recipient know about me?

Recipients will only receive non-identifying information conveyed by you in your donor profile. We do not disclose any identifying information to the recipients. To protect your anonymity, please omit children’s names, names of colleges, workplace, location of volunteer work, etc., from your donor profile. We also recommend reviewing your profile again before you submit to check for spelling/grammar errors or issues with consistency of information.


We also protect the anonymity of the recipient(s). We are an unidentified program, meaning we do not allow communication between our donors and recipients. Once you have donated your eggs, you no longer have rights to them or to any information regarding their disposition. Following the egg retrieval, the eggs belong to the recipient(s). It would be a violation of their privacy if we shared information with you.

Must I show my adult photograph?

No. While we do allow donors the option of showing their current photograph in their profile, it is not a requirement. Many of our donors continue to display only their childhood photographs. It is at your complete discretion. Please make sure the photos you submit are not on any social media website, for the sake of anonymity.

Can I tell others about my decision to donate?

We encourage you to discuss your decision to donate with your family and friends. You can also refer others and earn $100 once they are approved for egg donation and added to the Egg Donor Program.

As part of Donor Day, you will complete the written portion of your psychological evaluation. If the evaluation comes back approved, after medical clearance, you will be asked to schedule an in-person appointment with a mental health professional. If you are in a relationship, your partner or spouse will need to attend the psychological evaluation with you.

Contact Shady Grove Fertility

Intended Parent Database Access:
https://donor.shadygrovefertility.com/registration

Shady Grove Fertility Office Locations

Arlington, VA:
Ballston Metro Center 901 N. Stuart Street, Suite 610
Arlington, VA 22203

Tampa - Westshore:
5016 West Cypress St., Suite 302
Tampa, FL 33607

Rockville:
9601 Blackwell Rd.
Rockville, MD 20850

Clear Lake:
Clear Lake, TX 77598

Denver:
Denver, CO 80111

Frederick:
165 Thomas Johnson Dr., Suite F
Frederick, MD 21702

Newark:
111 Continental Drive
Newark, DE 19713