Medical and Psychological Factors that Disqualify Egg Donors

IVF with donor egg is a fertility treatment that gives infertile couples a chance to have a child. This treatment is complicated and costly, and might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance; so, donors must meet all the criteria. For this reason, many women who volunteer to donate eggs might be rejected. Whether you are an egg donor or a receiver, the following article might help you make a better decision. Here, we have explained 10 factors that disqualify egg donors and answered some of your questions.

Factors that Disqualify Egg Donors

To ensure the health of the donor and the success of the egg donation process, certain medical conditions may prevent a person from participating. These restrictions are set to reduce physical risks to the donor mother and increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.

High Age

The most important requirement for becoming an egg donor is being within the appropriate age range. Most fertility specialists consider the 20s the ideal age range. Some clinics may accept donors up to age 35, but only if they have all the other factors.

Read more: The best age for egg donation

High or Low BMI

Another factor that might disqualify egg donors is their unhealthy body mass index. The recommended BMI for egg donors is between 18 and 29. The 3reasons for this requirement are:

• Being overweight or underweight can reduce egg quality.
• Body weight has a direct effect on reproductive hormone levels.
• Very low or very high weight increases the side effects of medications.

Read more: A complete guide to egg donation

Having Chronic or Genetic Diseases

It goes without saying that chronic or genetic diseases disqualify an egg donor. These medical issues may put the donor’s health at risk during treatment (especially when retrieving eggs). There is also a chance of passing the genetic or chromosomal problems to the embryo.

If the donor has any of the following conditions, she will probably be rejected:

• Uncontrolled diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• A history of cancer
• Viral infections such as hepatitis or HIV
• Genetic disorders such as Down syndrome or cystic fibrosis

Reproductive System Disorders

Only women with healthy ovaries and uteruses can donate eggs. If a donor has a certain problem in her reproductive organs (especially the ovaries and fallopian tubes), she is not a good candidate to donate eggs. Women with the following conditions are usually not eligible:

• Endometriosis
• Premature ovarian insufficiency (ovaries stop working before age 40)
• Abnormal or missing ovaries or uterus
• Severe or uncontrolled polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

Psychological reasons for disqualification of donated eggs

The mental health of the volunteer plays a very important role in the egg donation process. Psychological assessment includes assessing the ability to cope with stress, accept the responsibility of delivering a baby, and have emotional stability.

History of Mental Health Disorders

Some mental disorders are inherited and can be passed on to the child. Moreover, women with mental issues might not cope with the emotional distress of this treatment, especially when they are under hormonal medications.

For these reasons, many clinics will not accept women who are undergoing psychiatric treatment or have been hospitalized for mental health disorders. In short, women with the following problems cannot be donors:

• Severe or long-term depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Personality disorders
• Serious eating disorders, such as severe anorexia or bulimia.



Social and legal reasons for disqualifying donated eggs

The social environment and legal status of the volunteer are also important, as family support and legal circumstances can affect the success and safety of the process.

• Alcohol or Tobacco Addiction
• History of Criminal Record
• Other Personal Factors

Alcohol or Tobacco Addiction

Women’s lifestyle greatly affects the quality and quantity of their eggs. Donors who smoke or drink alcohol every day are usually not approved as donors. Even occasional use of addictive drugs (such as marijuana and opium) can disqualify egg donors.

History of Criminal Record

Having a criminal record can also prevent a woman from being accepted as an egg donor, especially if the record includes drug-related crimes, imprisonment, child abuse, or violent behavior. Fertility clinics are responsible for checking the donor’s record and making sure she has no legal issues. Many receiving couples also prefer to receive eggs from a donor with a clean background.



Other Personal Factors

In some cases, the donor’s personal problems may disqualify her. For example, she must have enough time because egg donation requires multiple clinic visits and tests. If she doesn’t have time to visit the doctor regularly or follow the instructions, she may not be a good donor. Also,

• In some countries, the donor must have valid legal residency and identification documents.
• Some clinics want the donors to live within a certain distance so they can reach the clinic quickly (for example, within two hours).

Egg donation while breastfeeding

Sometimes the candidates ask whether they can donate eggs while breastfeeding or not. Breastfeeding usually affects the periods and ovulation. It also interferes with donors’ hormones and lowers the egg quality. Therefore, the fertility specialists usually ask the donors to come back after they have stopped breastfeeding their baby.

In other words, most clinics recommend donating eggs at least five months after giving birth, i.e., when the menstrual cycle has returned to its normal state. Note that pregnancy and breastfeeding affect women’s emotions, hormones, and bodies. So, the donor should be fully recovered before starting the donation process.

Do Mental Health Medications Disqualify an Egg Donor?

The answer to this question depends on the type and dose of medications, the mental disorder being treated, and the policies of the fertility clinic. However, in many cases, the specialists reject donors who take mental health medications, especially if:

• The medications are strong sedatives or psychoactive drugs.
• The donor is actively receiving mental illness treatments.
• The donor has a history of mental instability (like borderline personality disorder).

The Last Words

IVF with donor eggs is a modern and advanced fertility treatment that has helped millions of infertile couples grow their families. The success of this treatment depends on many factors, the most important of which is the quality of donor eggs. Therefore, the donors must meet certain physical, psychological, and personal criteria to be an eligible donor.

Donors who are below 20 or above 35, have an unhealthy BMI, have mental health or chronic diseases, carry genetic disorders, have ovarian or uterine problems, use drugs and alcohol daily, or have legal issues are not good candidates for donating eggs, and most clinics reject them.

Iran is one of the top countries for IVF with donor eggs, as the prices are quite low, the fertility clinics are well-equipped, and the specialists are experienced. If you need more information about the best fertility doctors in Iran and how to get an Iranian medical visa, contact the Raadina Health team.

Contact Us

Contact us for a free initial consultation about Egg donation

WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Email

FAQs

Can you donate eggs if you're underweight or overweight?

No. Being underweight or overweight affects the hormones and lowers egg quality. Therefore, only women with a healthy BMI are eligible to donate eggs.

Can you donate eggs while breastfeeding?

Generally speaking, no. Pregnancy and breastfeeding disrupt normal periods and ovulation, so most clinics recommend waiting until the menstrual cycle gets normal again.

I take mental health medications. Can I donate eggs?

It depends on your medications and the underlying condition that made you take those pills. Unfortunately, many clinics do not admit women who take mental illness medications as donors.

What is the best age to donate eggs?

Donors must be between 20 and 35 years old to donate eggs.