Choosing an egg donor can be a relatively simple or very complex process. Everyone has different traits or characteristics that are important to them. The more restricted the search becomes, the harder it can be to locate an ideal donor. The first major decision is to match with an anonymous or directed (known) egg donor. There are pros and cons to both options, but it is important to know how you feel about the choice before moving further. I have worked with both types of donations and seen, first hand, how they both work amazingly.
It is generally faster and more cost effective to use a clinic based anonymous donor program. This choice is good for many intended parents. The main drawback is the lack of information about your donor. You will know the stats and family history, but not a sense of personality. You often are only allowed to view childhood pictures of the donors. For some IPs, this is not enough information to make a choice. For those, directed or known donation may be a better fit. More recently, semi-open donations have become more popular. This way IPs are able to see more photos, possibly speak to or meet with the donor. They still may not know her last name or her identifying information, but they get to have a better sense of who she is. The problem is that it is much harder to find women willing to donate under this arrangement.
No matter what route is chosen, it is important to be realistic with your expectations and during the search. Once your egg donor is chosen, it is time to celebrate!
Congrats and on to the next step.
