SA's IVF Leader Since 1982
Donor Program

Donating Your Frozen Eggs

Eggs in storage you no longer wish to use?

Many patients freeze their eggs to keep their options open. If your family is complete, your plans have changed, or you've decided not to use them, you may be wondering what to do with the eggs you have in storage.

One option is to donate them to help someone else become a parent. Many families in South Australia exist because someone chose to donate.

There's no right or wrong choice, and no pressure. Our team is here to help you think it through and make the decision that feels right for you.

Your options for stored eggs

If you no longer plan to use your frozen eggs, you can choose to:

  • Keep them in storage while you decide;
  • Donate them to help another person or couple have a family;
  • Donate them to a clinic with an approved research program; or
  • Allow them to be removed from storage and discarded.

Our donor coordinator and counsellors can talk through each option with you, free of charge, before you make a decision.

Who could your eggs help?

Donor eggs can help those whose own eggs are unlikely to lead to a pregnancy, for example because of:

  • Low ovarian reserve
  • Early menopause
  • Cancer treatment
  • A genetic condition they don't want to pass on

Like other clinics in Australia, we have very few egg donors in Adelaide. Since your eggs are already frozen, your donation could help a family sooner. 

Can I donate my frozen eggs?

To donate your stored eggs, you'll need to:

  • Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident;
  • Be aged under 35 when your eggs were frozen;
  • Be in good general health;
  • Be able to provide a family medical history (self, children, siblings, parents and grandparents);
  • Attend counselling, a medical assessment and screening tests; and
  • Agree to a donor-conceived person who has reached 18 receiving your identifying details, should they request them.

What's involved?

Because your eggs have already been collected, you won't need hormone injections or another egg collection. The steps are:

  1. Talk to our donor coordinators. Georgia and Sue will answer your questions and explain how the program works. If your eggs are stored at another clinic, they can advise if they can be transferred to Flinders Fertility.
  2. Complete your donor profile. You'll provide non-identifying information about your physical characteristics and social history, plus a personal statement for recipients about you and why you're donating.
  3. Meet with a fertility doctor. They will take a medical history, with emphasis on inherited disorders, and arrange health and genetic screening. Some tests may need to be repeated.
  4. Meet with our counsellor. Donors meet our counsellor at least twice to discuss the legal aspects of donation, confidentiality, and how to talk about your decision with your partner or family. If you have a partner, they'll be asked to attend at least one session.
  5. Sign your consent forms. Once you've met the screening requirements and decided to go ahead, your doctor will sign donor consent forms with you.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. You can withdraw your consent for your eggs to be used at any time before they are used. This does not prevent recipients from using any embryos already created with your eggs.

Yes. As a donor, you have the right to be told the number and sex of any children born from your donation. The donor coordinator will contact you each year to confirm your consent and update your details.

Your doctor and counsellor will explain what this means for you and your family, and whether your eggs can still be donated.

Under South Australian law, a clinic egg donor is not a legal parent of any child born and has no parenting or financial responsibilities. The child is the legal child of the woman who gives birth and her partner.

Any child born from your donated eggs can request your identifying details once they turn 18. This information is held on the Donor Conception Register run by SA Health.

Many donor-conceived people simply want to understand more about their background or medical history. You are under no obligation to have or remain in contact, and our counsellors will help you think through how you might feel should contact occur.