How to Select an Egg Donor

When infertile couples go in search of an egg donor, they often look for a woman who shares one parent’s physical characteristics. They may base their decision on the donor’s height and weight, body type, hair color and texture, or other physical traits. While it’s understandable that a couple would want a child that resembles them physically, there is much more to donor selection than finding someone who looks similar to the prospective parents. Finding a perfect physical match is largely futile, since most people have a unique appearance. For that reason, it’s important to take other qualities into consideration when you consider egg donation and selecting an egg donor. All egg donors are screened for diseases and chromosomal defects. The health of your donor might prove to be more important than her appearance. Additionally, many donors are required to complete IQ tests and essays to gauge their intelligence and personality traits. If you come across a personality that you are particularly fond of, you should consider using that woman as your egg donor. Other recipients make a choice based on the donor’s interests, talents, educational level, and even their religious background. It’s not clear whether all of these traits are genetic or simply the product of upbringing, but many recipients want the information regardless. Finally, it’s important to know which level of contact (if any) the donor is comfortable with. Some women choose to donate their eggs anonymously. Others want to get to know the recipients beforehand. Still others withhold their identities, but agree to be contacted later in life or in the case of a medical emergency, such as the need for donor organs or bone marrow for the child. Every person is unique, just like fingerprints and snowflakes. When you choose an egg donor, you should look for a good blend of physical traits, personality, and mental and physical health. After all, the child you bear will be the genetic offspring of the donor, but you will be its parent. To learn more about the egg donation process as well as other fertility issues such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), we encourage you to visit our infertility treatment center near Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.