At Ivy Surrogacy, we understand that the egg donation process for intended parents is more than just a clinical timeline—it’s the foundation of your future family. Whether you’re exploring egg donation for the first time or ready to move forward, our experienced team will walk you through each step with care, clarity, and expertise.
From selecting the right donor to navigating screening, legal contracts, and IVF coordination, we’re here to make your intended parent journey through egg donation as smooth and empowering as possible.
Your journey begins with a personalized consultation at Ivy Surrogacy. During this initial meeting, we'll take the time to understand exactly what you're looking for in an egg donor. We consider all your preferences, including ethnicity, blood type, height, educational background, and geographic location. This is also your opportunity to ask questions and better understand the egg donation process for intended parents, so you feel fully informed and supported as you take the next step.
After your consultation, we’ll present a curated selection of qualified egg donor profiles that match your criteria. You will gain full access to our secure egg donor database, where you can view photos, education background, medical history, genetic screening results, and personal traits. This stage allows you to compare candidates and make a thoughtful decision based on your family goals. To better understand what to consider when choosing a donor, please read our blog post: How to Select an Egg Donor – 6 Tips.
After reviewing donor profiles and selecting an egg donor who aligns with your preferences, the possibility of further personal interaction depends on mutual consent. Should both you and the donor agree, we can arrange a phone call or video conference to further ensure compatibility and comfort. Following this initial interaction, or if no direct communication is preferred, the egg donor’s medical records will be sent to your IVF clinic for thorough review. Upon successful review, you will sign a retainer with us, confirming your match and allowing us to move forward to the screening phase.
Your matched donor will undergo thorough medical screening at your chosen IVF clinic, including hormone level testing, infectious disease screening, and a pelvic ultrasound to evaluate ovarian function. She will also meet with a licensed mental health professional to assess psychological readiness and ensure emotional stability throughout the process. In addition, the donor will undergo drug screening, and if she hasn’t previously completed a genetic carrier screening, that will also be required. Only donors who pass all medical and psychological evaluations will proceed to the legal and treatment phases of the egg donation process.
To protect the rights of all parties, both you and the donor will be represented by separate reproductive attorneys. Your attorney will draft an egg donation agreement outlining key elements such as parental rights, compensation, privacy, and future contact expectations (if any). Once both parties agree to the terms, the contract is finalized and notarized.
The donor begins a course of injectable medications to stimulate ovulation, monitored by the fertility clinic. Once her follicles are ready, she undergoes a short outpatient procedure to retrieve the eggs under light sedation. The retrieved eggs are then fertilized in the lab using sperm from you or your partner (or donor sperm), starting your IVF cycle.
At Ivy Surrogacy, we understand that egg donation is only the first step in your path to parenthood. After the eggs are retrieved and fertilized, you may move forward with embryo creation, genetic testing, embryo transfer, and—if needed—the surrogacy process.
No matter where you are in your journey, our team is here to support you. We welcome intended parents to reach out with questions or concerns, whether you’re planning ahead or preparing for the next phase. Our experienced team offers continued guidance, medical coordination, and personalized care to help you take the next steps with confidence.
Curious about what comes next in the egg donation process for intended parents? Whether you’re selecting a donor, preparing for IVF, or navigating legal agreements, this FAQ covers the most important stages. Get clarity on each step of the intended parents’ egg donation journey, from matching through embryo transfer.
From the time you are officially matched with an egg donor to the egg retrieval procedure, the process usually takes about 10 to 12 weeks. However, timing can vary depending on the donor’s cycle, medical screening, and scheduling. Since medical screening and ovarian stimulation are closely tied to the donor’s menstrual cycle, irregular periods may lead to delays. Additionally, some donors may not be immediately available—for example, they may be completing a current cycle, taking a required break, or waiting for school or work schedules to align. It’s important to plan for some flexibility in the timeline.
You can begin reviewing egg donor profiles after your initial consultation. Once we understand your preferences, we’ll grant access to our secure egg donor database. In some cases, we may also send you curated PDF versions of donor profiles. This gives you the opportunity to explore different candidates in depth before making your decision.
Yes. If you are seriously considering a particular donor, we can place a short-term hold on her profile while you finalize your choice. The official match is confirmed once you sign a retainer agreement with our agency. At that point, the process can move forward with medical screening and legal arrangements.
The donor will complete a comprehensive screening process, including hormone testing, infectious disease screening, pelvic ultrasound, psychological evaluation, drug screening, and—if not previously done—genetic carrier screening. Once she passes all evaluations, she can move forward to the legal process and later begin her medication cycle in preparation for egg retrieval.
After the donor is medically and psychologically cleared, both parties begin the legal process. Legal contracts are drafted and reviewed by each side’s attorney. Once finalized and signed, the donor starts a carefully monitored medication cycle to stimulate egg production. Your IVF clinic will then schedule the egg retrieval procedure based on her response to the medication.
Most egg donations are anonymous. However, some donors are open to limited contact. If both parties are comfortable, we may be able to facilitate a virtual meeting before the match is finalized. Please let us know your preferences during the consultation or matching stage, and we will do our best to accommodate.
After retrieval, the donor’s eggs are fertilized in the lab using sperm from the intended parent or a sperm donor. We strongly recommend that the sperm be provided before or on the day of retrieval, so that the eggs can be fertilized while fresh. Unless absolutely necessary, we do not recommend freezing fresh eggs. The resulting embryos can be cultured, genetically tested (if desired), and either transferred fresh or frozen for future use.
Ivy Surrogacy offers ongoing guidance beyond egg donation. Whether you’re planning an embryo transfer or exploring surrogacy, our team provides continued support, coordination with your clinic, and expert resources to help you take the next step.
You can explore more answers on our full FAQ page, or reach out directly—our team is always here to support you. Every path to parenthood is different, and we’re honored to walk it with you.
