Donation of eggs (oocytes)

Verified 01 September 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

A woman aged 18 to 37, with or without children, can give her eggs (or eggs) to married or single women who cannot have children (for example, if the woman does not naturally have eggs). The donation is made in a hospital. It is free and anonymous.

The donor must have over 18 years and under 38.

She must be in good health. Medical tests are done before the sample is taken to check on its condition.

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.

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 the donation of gametes and in particular the impossibility for the recipient and the donor to know their respective identities
  • Consequences of this donation in relation to filiation: no legal filiation can be established between the person born of the donation and the donor
  • That prior information on the feasibility of the donation will be provided by the medical team
  • Rules on access for persons designed by MPA: titleContent with the donor third party to the non-identifying data and the identity of the donor and the need to consent to the disclosure of such data in order to make the donation.
  • That his 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, and the risks and constraints of these techniques

Collection of consent

After the interviews, the medical team collects the donor's consent in writing.

Since 1er september 2022, the donor must give her consent, for each donation, to the transmission of her non-identifying data (examples: age, physical character) and her 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, the identity and non-identifying data of the donor shall not be communicated to the persons from that donation who have made an access request. Donor consent is required. However, the donor may voluntarily consent to the disclosure of her identity and non-identifying data by contacting the Commission d'accès des personnes nae d'aide Médicale à la Reproduction (CAPADD).

The consent of the donor to the communication of her identity and non-identifying data shall be obtained in a standard form. This form is kept by the health facility.

The consent of the donor is free and can be withdrawn at any time, until the oocytes are used.

A follow-up study is offered to the donor. She has to accept it in writing.

Oocyte collection is done in the day care facility.

It is performed vaginally under ultrasound control and under analgesia or anesthesia.

After retrieval, the oocytes are transferred to the laboratory until they are assigned to recipients for assisted reproduction.

Oocyte donation is not paid.

The medical costs of 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.