Donation of eggs (oocytes)

Verified 12 March 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

If you are between 18 and 37 years old, you can donate your eggs (or oocytes) to married or single women who cannot have children (for example, the woman does not naturally have eggs). The donation is made in a hospital. It is free and anonymous. We'll lay out the rules for you.

You must meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Have over 18 years and under the age of 38.
  • Be healthy. Medical tests are done before donation.

You do not need to have had a child before to donate an egg.

Please note

An emancipated minor cannot be a donor.

The procedure is carried out in a university hospital center (CHU) within an oocyte donation center.

You choose the center closest to you (by entering your postal code or city). Then you validate the form to request an appointment. Finally, the center will contact you again to begin the process of donation.

Interview: Information collected

One or more pre-donation interviews are arranged between the medical team and the donor.

During this interview, the doctor collects the following information:

  • Identity of the donor
  • Donor identifiable data:
    • Age
    • General condition at the time of donation
    • Physical Characteristics
    • Family and professional situation
    • Country of birth
    • Written reasons for this donation.

The data concerning the identity and non-identifiable data of the donor are collected in a standard form.

Maintenance: information sent to the donor

During the pre-interview, the doctor verifies that the donor fulfills the conditions laid down for making the donation.

The pre-interview also informs him:

  • Regulations related to gamete donation and in particular the impossibility for the recipient and you to know the respective identities
  • Consequences of this donation in relation to filiation: no legal filiation can be established between you and the person resulting from the donation
  • That prior information on the feasibility of the donation will be provided by the medical team
  • Rules on access for persons designed by MPAMPA : Assisted reproductive technology with the donor third party to your non-identifying data and your identity and the need to consent to the communication of this data to make the donation
  • That the anonymous medical record, including medical history, number of children born from the donation, date of collection, written consent, will be kept for a minimum of 40 years
  • Conditions for ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval, as well as the risks and constraints associated with these techniques.

Collection of consent

After the interviews, the medical team will obtain your consent in writing.

You agree, for each donation, to the transmission of:

  • Your non-identifying data (examples: age, physical character)
  • Your identity.

This data may only be communicated to persons born of this donation by their majority, if they so request.

Please note

When the donation was made before 1er september 2022, your identity and non-identifying data shall not be communicated to the persons from that donation who have made an access request. Your agreement is required. However, you may voluntarily consent to the disclosure of your identity and non-identifying data by contacting the Commission for Access to Persons Born of Assisted Reproduction (CAPADD).

Your consent to the communication of your identity and non-identifying data is collected in a standard form.

This form is kept by the health facility.

Your consent is free and can be withdrawn at any time, until the oocytes are used.

A follow-up study is proposed. You have to accept it in writing.

Oocyte retrieval takes place:

  • During the day at the hospital
  • For vaginal ultrasonography, with simple analgesia or short-term general anesthesia.

After removal, the oocytes are sent to the laboratory until they are assigned to recipients for assisted reproductive technology.

No, egg donation is not paid.

Medical expenses related to the donation are fully covered by the Health Insurance.

Non-medical expenses (accommodation, transport, etc.) may be covered by the hospital on presentation of supporting documents.

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