An egg, or oocyte, is a mature female reproductive cell. It contains half of the genetic information needed to make a new human.
In many countries, including the UK, a woman can donate eggs for use by others. Within the UK, the donation of human eggs is strictly regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
How does it work?
The process for donating eggs is the same as the early stages of IVF. Each clinic will have its own protocols to prepare patients and donors for egg collection. A typical example of the process is as follows.
- Daily injections, to stimulate the ovaries to produce more than one egg.
- Additional injections, beginning on day 4-5 of stimulation, to prevent the spontaneous premature release of eggs.
- One further injection, which is carefully timed to begin the release of eggs.
- Tests and/or scans, to check the woman's response to the injections described above.
- A procedure to collect the eggs, accompanied by pain relief (sedation or general anaesthetic).
In the UK, egg donors may receive compensation of up to £985 per cycle of donation, and must consent to be identifiable to any children conceived with their eggs (once those children turn 18).
Several women who have donated eggs describe the experience here.
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How are donated eggs used?
Donated eggs may be used in a variety of contexts, including the following.
- As part of IVF, to help women who wish to have a child (if they cannot produce, or cannot use, their own eggs).
- As part of a surrogacy arrangement, to help people who wish to have a child (if they cannot carry a pregnancy, and if they also need eggs).
- As part of mitochondrial donation, to help avoid the transmission of certain inherited diseases from mother to child (in the UK, this is the one context in which the donor does not have to consent to be identifiable to resulting children).
- As part of scientific research, to help improve our understanding of human biology and disease.
Explore this specially curated selection of articles about egg donation from the BioNews archive
2026
Vanessa Burns writes about this PET Event, which brought together clinical, social and lived perspectives on egg donation...
2026
This discussion took place at the PET Annual Conference and features Sarah Norcross, Sara Levene, Professor Jackson Kirkman-Brown, Dr Heidi Mertes and Professor Cathy Herbrand...
2025
A new study found that women over 43 years of age have higher IVF success rates when using donor eggs...
2025
UK egg donors need support, not restriction, argue Dr Valentina Mauro and Dr Shailaja Nair...
2025
This film documents a PET event marking 40 years since the announcement – in Australia – that a child had been born following egg donation for the first time...
2024
The recent decision by the HFEA to increase compensation for gamete donors is going to have specific impacts on egg donors, that need to be explored…
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2024
Professors Cathy Herbrand, Nicky Hudson and Dr Kriss Fearon explore the new and ethically sensitive questions which could arise from screening gamete donors to reduce transmission of recessive genetic conditions...
2021
Among the highlights of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's latest report on trends in fertility treatment is a continuing upturn in the number of egg donation cycles performed in the UK...
2013
The majority of egg donors donate for altruistic reasons, although personal benefits such as financial compensation are also a factor, according to a large European study...
2012
Until recently, there has been very little empirical data to inform debate about egg-sharing. However, new research changes this state of affairs...
2009
I had wanted to donate my eggs to a woman with fertility problems ever since having children of my own. I frequently tell my three children that I always wanted to be a mother and that every day they make my dreams come true. How wonderful it would be to help make someone else's dreams come true too...
2006
Research published in the journal Fertility and Sterility has shown that the quality of parenting and psychological adjustment of egg donation families is generally on a par with that of donor insemination (DI) and IVF families...
2005
From the perspective of a child born from donated gametes, an imminent change in the UK law waiving anonymity for donors may be a dream come true; from a service provider's perspective, it is already a nightmare...
1999
Fertility history was made in the UK when one woman's eggs helped two others and herself become pregnant under an egg sharing scheme. Egg sharing schemes are carried out at a handful of fertility clinics in the UK and involve a woman receiving free or discounted IVF...
Image by Bill McConkey via the Wellcome Collection.