What Happens to Your Body During Egg Donation

Key Takeaways

• Hormones play a central role in developing eggs for donation.
• The egg donation process uses closely monitored hormone stimulation to mature multiple eggs at once.
• Most short-term side effects are mild and temporary, and current research shows no link between egg donation and long-term fertility issues.

Understanding Egg Donation and the Body

If you’re thinking about becoming an egg donor, it’s natural to wonder what happens inside your body throughout the process. Egg donation is a carefully managed medical experience that allows you to help others build their families while earning money and learning about your own fertility. 

Advances in assisted reproductive technology (ART) have made this process safer and more successful than ever before. Understanding what’s happening hormonally and physically can help you feel informed and confident every step of the way.

The Role of Hormones in Egg Maturation

The first step in egg donation is encouraging the maturation of multiple eggs at one time for retrieval. To understand how this works, it helps to know a bit about the natural menstrual cycle.  

The menstrual cycle has four phases: the follicular phase, ovulation, the luteal phase and menstruation. 

During the follicular phase, the ovaries begin development of a handful of immature eggs.  These immature eggs are surrounded by a small fluid collection, called an “antral follicle”, that can be seen on ultrasound.  These eggs start the development process in response to two hormones called follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).  Typically, there is only enough FSH and LH produced for one of the immature eggs to grow to maturity and be released.  The maturing egg is identifiable on ultrasound by the enlarging fluid collection around it called the “follicle”.  Ovulation then occurs when the mature egg is released form the ovary.  Following ovulation, the ovary enters the “luteal phase” in which it begins making the hormone progesterone to prepare the uterus for a potential pregnancy.  If no pregnancy occurs, the lining of the uterus sheds and the cycle begins again.

How Ovarian Stimulation Works

In egg donation, hormone stimulation builds on the body’s natural process. Injectable forms of the hormones FSH and LH are used to encourage multiple eggs to mature at once. You will need to inject these medications daily for approximately two weeks - your clinical team will teach you how to safely and easily administer these medications.

Throughout this phase, the donor’s hormone levels and ovarian response are closely monitored through bloodwork and ultrasounds. The goal is to help several eggs reach maturity while keeping the donor safe and healthy.  When the eggs are ready, a final hormone injection is given which allows the eggs to complete the final step in maturation and be released into the follicle so that they can be collected.

What Happens to the Eggs After Retrieval

Once retrieved, eggs are placed in an incubator and evaluated for maturity and quality. Some eggs may not survive the retrieval process and won’t be used for treatment. Mature eggs that meet quality standards are frozen for future use or fertilized right away to develop embryos through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Short-Term and Long-Term Effects on the Body

In the short term, egg donors may experience side effects similar to those seen in IVF patients who use their own eggs. These can include bloating, mild cramping, or, in rare cases, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Recovery time can vary between people, but most return to normal activities within a few days.

Some people wonder whether donating eggs could affect their future cycles or fertility. Current research has found no evidence that egg donation causes long-term changes in reproductive health. Many of the medical issues sometimes reported in those who have undergone IVF are linked to infertility and not to the process of ovarian stimulation and/or egg retrieval.  Ongoing research continues to confirm that donor health and safety remain top priorities.

FAQs

How does egg donation affect my egg supply?

The fertility medications used during egg donation increase the number of eggs that mature in that particular cycle but do not deplete future egg reserves. 

Will donating eggs impact my future fertility?

No. Egg donation does not affect long-term fertility. The eggs retrieved are those that would have naturally been lost during a normal menstrual cycle.

What medications are used during the process?

Donors typically take injectable hormones like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)  to promote egg development and trigger ovulation at the right time.

What is the difference between fresh and frozen egg donation?

Fresh donation means that the eggs collected from a donation cycle are used immediately in the creation of embryos.  Frozen donation means that the collected eggs are frozen and stored for a period of time prior to embryo creation.

Conclusion

Egg donation is both a medical and a profoundly human experience, blending science, empathy, and  precise medical care.  If you’d like to learn more about egg donation or explore becoming a donor, contact your care team at Los Angeles Reproductive Center for more information.

Clinically reviewed by Jamie Massie, MD and Alyssa Schoenemann, RN