How to Choose an Egg Donor: 8 Important Factors To Consider

Conceiving through egg donation and medical fertility advances has allowed couples to build families who would not be able to do so otherwise. Up to 13 million babies were born thanks to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) since 1978.

When it comes to couples with fertility issues or members of the LGBTQ+ community, egg donors are a conduit through which they can fulfill their dream of having a family.

But with more donors available today than ever before, narrowing down your options can feel overwhelming. You’re not just selecting based on medical criteria. You’re choosing the person who will help shape your child’s future. It’s a deeply personal process, and it’s okay to want more than “healthy.”

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most important factors to consider when choosing an egg donor—from medical history and genetic screening to personality traits, education, and more. Our goal is to help you make a confident and informed decision.

Set Your Goals Before Choosing an Egg Donor

Before you dive into donor profiles and start analyzing health histories or physical traits, take a moment to reflect on what matters most to you.

Ask yourself:

• What kind of connection (if any) do I want with the donor? Some intended parents prefer anonymous donors, while others appreciate the idea of future identity disclosure or even ongoing communication.
  
  
• How involved do I want to be in selecting donor characteristics? Are physical traits important to you? Would you like the donor to share your cultural or ethnic background? Do you want someone with a similar educational path or personality type?
  
  
• Am I emotionally ready for this next step? It’s okay if the answer isn’t a confident “yes” just yet. Egg donation can bring up complicated emotions—grief, excitement, fear, and hope. Take time to process everything and lean on your support system, whether that’s a therapist, your partner, or your agency’s coordinator.
  
  
• What’s my timeline and am I open to fresh or frozen eggs? If you’re on a tight schedule, a donor with frozen eggs might be the most efficient route. But if you’re set on selecting a donor for a fresh cycle, that may require more time and coordination.

Being clear on your goals before you start will simplify the decision-making process and help your agency or clinic guide you toward the best possible match. And remember: your ideal egg donor doesn’t have to check every box. She just has to feel like the right choice for your family.

How to Choose an Egg Donor 

Your fertility clinic of choice will have relationships and connections with different egg donation agencies, and some will be more promising than others. Through our sister agency, you can access egg donors within the top 5% of candidates nation-wide to make your search process as smooth as possible. When you're choosing an egg donor, consider these four criteria:

1. Health and Genetic Screening

Your donor needs a pristine health history and genetic health report if you want to move forward with her. When evaluating donors, your clinic or agency will walk you through detailed medical and genetic screening reports.

This includes:

• Comprehensive family medical history, often spanning three generations
  
  
• Genetic carrier screening for common conditions like cystic fibrosis (CF), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and fragile X syndrome
  
  
• Infectious disease testing (e.g. HIV, hepatitis, syphilis)
  
  
• Psychological evaluations to assess mental health, motivation, and emotional readiness

If you're also a carrier of a genetic condition, you'll want to choose a donor who doesn’t carry the same mutation. Some donors are pre-screened, while others may need to go through this process after selection, so be sure to ask what's already completed.

2. Physical Appearance

When choosing an egg donor, it’s natural to want some resemblance between your future child and your family. That could mean shared features like eye color, hair texture, height, or even skin tone.

Some parents also want a donor who shares their ethnic or cultural background, especially if passing down cultural traditions is important to them.

Here are a few traits you might consider:

• Eye and hair color
  
  
• Skin tone or ethnic background
  
  
• Height and body type (BMI is often reviewed for medical reasons)
  
  
• Facial features or resemblance to the non-genetic parent
  
  

You don’t have to feel guilty about caring how your child might look. These are personal preferences that help you feel connected to your future family. Focus on what feels most meaningful.

3. Intelligence, Education, and Hobbies

Considering the education and test scores of an egg donor is very normal. Genetics don’t determine everything, but some cognitive traits can be inherited to a degree.

If this is a priority for you, look at:

• College degrees, academic achievements, or GPA
  
  
• SAT/ACT scores (if available)
  
  
• Career aspirations or fields of study
  
  
• Extracurriculars or special talents (e.g. music, languages, STEM)

You might also want to explore hobbies or interests that align with your own. A donor who writes poetry, plays the violin, or builds robots might feel like a better match than someone with a generic profile

4. Fertility History and Egg Quality

While personality and appearance are important, egg quality is what determines success rates. This is where biomarkers and experience come in.

Look for:

• AMH levels (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) – a marker of ovarian reserve
  
  
• AFC (Antral Follicle Count) – assessed via ultrasound
  
  
• Donor age – younger donors (typically under 34) tend to have higher success rates
  
  
• Previous donation success – has she donated before and led to a successful pregnancy?

A “proven donor” is someone who has already gone through the process with positive outcomes. If this brings you peace of mind, ask your agency or clinic for profiles that meet this criterion.

5. Personality and Demeanor

You might fall in love with a donor’s profile, then feel unsure once you see her video. Or, the opposite might happen: the video gives you a sense of connection you didn’t expect.

A short video can reveal:

• How she speaks, smiles, and presents herself
  
  
• Her energy or confidence level
  
  
• Whether she seems kind, grounded, funny, or just “your kind of person”

Not all agencies provide videos, but if that’s important to you, ask. Sometimes, seeing someone move and speak is what transforms a donor from a list of stats into someone you feel truly good about.

6. Anonymous, Known, or Identity-Release

Would you like your child to have the option of contacting their donor in the future? Or would you prefer a fully anonymous arrangement?

There are three common types of donor relationships:

1. Anonymous – identities are kept private, no future contact
   
   
2. Identity-release – the child may access the donor’s information when they turn 18
   
   
3. Known – the donor is someone you know or someone open to ongoing contact

Think about your comfort level now and what might matter to your child later. Some parents prefer privacy, while others appreciate the option for future connection.

Be sure to clarify your preferences early so your agency can guide you to the right match.

7. Matching Logistics

Most intended parents work with either a fertility clinic that has its own egg donor database or a third-party egg donor agency. Both can be great options, but the choice depends on what kind of experience and support you’re looking for.

Here’s what to consider:

• Diversity of donor profiles: Larger agencies often have a wider pool, including different ethnicities, education levels, and personality types.
  
  
• Screening standards: Reputable clinics and agencies follow strict health and psychological screening guidelines.
  
  
• Level of support: Some agencies offer more hands-on support throughout the matching process, including help with paperwork, donor communication, and legal coordination.

At Hatch, for example, you get access to the top 5% of donor candidates nationwide with personalized guidance from our team.

8. Fresh vs Frozen Eggs

One of the biggest decisions you'll make early on is whether to use fresh or frozen donor eggs.

• Fresh donor eggs are retrieved after your donor is selected, meaning her cycle will be timed with yours. This option gives you access to the full number of retrieved eggs, but requires more coordination and can take longer.
  
  
• Frozen donor eggs are already retrieved and stored, ready for immediate use. You’ll typically receive a set number of eggs (usually 6–8), and the timeline is much faster.

If you're on a tight schedule or want to avoid delays, frozen eggs can be a great option. But if you're hoping to attempt multiple pregnancies or want the highest possible egg yield, a fresh cycle might be the better fit.

What Are the Costs of Using an Egg Donor?

The cost of using an egg donor in the US typically ranges from $20,000 to $50,000 per cycle.

Costs can vary significantly depending on the type of donor, whether you're using fresh or frozen eggs, and what level of support you receive.

Typical expenses may include:

• Donor compensation
  
  
• Agency or clinic fees
  
  
• Legal services and contract drafting
  
  
• Medical screening and egg retrieval
  
  
• Medication and fertility treatments
  
  
• Travel expenses (for the donor, if applicable)

Make sure you ask for a detailed breakdown so there are no surprises down the line. And if you're working with a bundled program—like Hatch’s Peace of Mind program—you may benefit from more streamlined pricing and fewer third-party vendors.

Beginning Your Egg Hunt? 

Picking the perfect egg donor for your family might be a bit more challenging than when you were a kid at Easter, but it can still be equally as fun. If one donor doesn’t work out, fear not. The perfect donor is the one with whom there will be relatively few hiccups. The process can require some patience. But know that you will find the perfect donor for you and your spouse. 

It can be a challenge to sift through so many profiles. For references to pick the best egg donors available, contact us today.