Selecting an Egg Donor
There are many factors that patients typically consider during the egg donor search process including physical appearance, personality traits, medical history, ethnic background, educational history and more. While selecting an egg donor may seem overwhelming, Dr. Nurit Winkler and Dr. Marc Kalan at the Los Angeles Reproductive Center have dedicated their careers to helping patients navigate the entire fertility process and can provide guidance to help you reach the best decision for your family. We have multiple offices conveniently located in Encino, Bakersfield, and Los Angeles, CA.
Donor Type
One of the first decisions prospective parents must make is whether to choose a known or anonymous donor. A known donor is a someone in your life, such as a relative or friend. The benefit of choosing a known donor is that it often feels more comfortable to have personal knowledge of the donor’s background. However, the legal guidelines for known donors are not as clearly defined as they are for anonymous egg donors. Also, using a known donor can complicate your relationship with that person. Further, the decision to use an egg donor is often very personal and many patients prefer to keep the decision private from their family and friends.
Dr. Winkler and Dr. Kalan have dedicated their careers to helping their patients navigate the entire fertility process.
An anonymous donor is one chosen without any identifying information. That is to say that the intended parents do not get identifying information about the donor and the donor does not get any identifying information about the parents. Intended parents do get to see pictures and learn about the donor’s background, but they do not meet her, nor does she meet them. With an anonymous donor, the donation agency or fertility center acts as the point of contact. This level of confidentiality provides a clearly defined relationship that can be beneficial from an emotional and legal point of view.
Making this first decision can feel overwhelming. However, it is important to remember that there is no right or wrong choice, it is a purely personal. Further, you are not alone in making your decision, Dr. Winkler and Dr. Kalan have provided fertility service for many years and can help guide you through every step of the process.
Factors to Consider
Many factors that come into play when choosing an egg donor. Some of these include:
- Background: For some prospective parents, it is important to find someone with a similar ethnic, religious, or cultural background.
- Certain attributes: You may be looking for certain traits or abilities such as physical appearance, athleticism, IQ, artistic talent, or others.
- Medical history: The doctors will help with this, but it is crucial to evaluate the medical history of your potential egg donor as well as that of their immediate family.
- Personality: It is common for prospective parents to seek a donor with similar personality traits as their own.
While it is possible to find almost any characteristic in an egg donor, it is difficult to find everything you want in a single person. It is important to consider each donor as a whole person and not focus on any 1 trait or characteristic.
The Importance of a Backup Plan
It is worthwhile considering several donor candidates. Factors such as geography, travel plans, school schedules donation commitments and more may affect any specific donors availability. By having more than one option, the process generally moves more quickly and efficiently.
We Are Here to Support You
Choosing an egg donor may seem like a daunting task at the beginning. However, at Los Angeles Reproductive Center, you have the support of our team of specialists. We are here for you at every stage of the egg donation process. Contact our office online or call (818) 946-8051 to learn more about egg donation and how to select the right donor.
