Lister Fertility Clinic
Chelsea Bridge Road SW1W 8RH London
Being an egg donor
Donating your eggs by becoming an egg donor can offer hope to a large number of women who previously thought they'd never have children.
Egg donors are unique and remarkable women. Their kindness and generosity allows many childless couples to achieve their ultimate dream of having a family.
These women undergo ovarian stimulation and egg collection to produce eggs and donate to one or two women on our waiting list. Since 1988, more than 1000 women have altruistically donated at the Lister Fertility Clinic. Our dedicated IVF egg donation team has over a decade of experience in assisting donors through the process.
Things to consider before egg donation
Women considering egg donation should be aware that egg recipients will be provided with non-identifying information such as height and ethnicity. However, at no point will the egg donor's name be revealed to the recipient.
Since 2005, children born as a result of egg or sperm donation have the right to access identifiable information about their donor once they reach 18 years of age. An egg donor's details will be kept on the HFEA Register, where they are carefully protected and are not available to the general public. Only those with a right to this information by law, namely donor-conceived people aged 18 or over, will have access to it. If they contact the HFEA, they will be told:
- The donor's name.
- The donor's date of birth.
- The donor's place of birth.
- The donor's address at the time of treatment.
The Lister Fertility Clinic does not currently hold information about how often children seek out their donors as the first generation of children born under this law will not turn 18 years old until 2023.
Donors have no legal rights to children born as a result of their donated eggs.
If donors would like to know the outcome of their cycle they can contact the Lister Fertility Clinic at any time. The clinical team can tell a donor whether any children were born as a result of their egg donation as well as the sex of any such children and/or the year they were born.
We cannot provide donors with the names or other identifying information about donor conceived children.
More information from HFEA about donating your eggs
Who can be an egg donor?
Ideally, an egg donor should be between the ages of 21 and 35 without any history of inheritable conditions.
What tests will be done before I am accepted?
All donors will be tested for HIV antibody, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, haemoglobin, blood grouping, chromosome studies and cystic fibrosis.
Two HIV tests will be carried out; the first test will be on the day of the initial consultation and the second will be 12 weeks later. With your consent we will write to your GP to obtain your past and present medical history.
Will I have to pay for treatment?
No, all medical expenses will be covered by the Lister Fertility Clinic. Expenses such as public transport / petrol and reasonable childcare will be reimbursed.
FAQs about egg donation
Specialists from the Lister Fertility Clinic answer the frequently asked questions about being an egg donor
Many of our donors have donated several times and have continued to have children of their own.
You will be seen by a counsellor on your first visit to discuss the ethical, legal and social aspects of egg donation and to ensure you fully understand the procedure and the ethical aspects involved in donation.
Our free counselling service is available to all patients before, during and after treatment.
You are free to withdraw consent to your egg donation at any time until the embryos are used, without threat of financial penalty or fear of recrimination. If you are undergoing sterilisation or other related surgery, those procedures will still be performed on the terms already agreed.
This will be a joint decision between you and your doctor (however, the law states that no more than 10 families should be born from any one donor).
Yes, neither egg donor nor egg recipient will meet. However, information about the donor will be held at the central register with the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority (HFEA). At the age of 18 a person born as a result of sperm, egg or embryo donation will have access to identifying information about their donor. This will not apply to donation treatment received before 1 April 2005.
We can inform the egg donor whether a live birth has resulted from their egg donation and, if so, the number of children born.
More information about releasing egg donor information
All information given to the egg recipient will be non-identifying. We try to match egg donor and recipient physical characteristics as closely as possible.
More information about releasing egg donor information
If you have any questions before, during or after your donation, please feel free to call the Lister Fertility Clinic team, who will be glad to help. Our counsellor is available at any time during or after your treatment.
More information on egg donation can be found on the HFEA website
Our Egg donor locations
Lister Fertility Clinic at The Portland Hospital
215 Great Portland Street W1W 5PN London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.