Donating Eggs? Here’s How to Find Your Family Medical History

To apply to become an egg donor you’re required to share your family’s medical history in our application.

This history is part of you, but getting this information can be tricky.

Here’s a rundown on the family medical information you need to provide for our egg donation application, and tips for obtaining it.

Family History You Need to Know

First of all, egg donors need to provide three generations of family medical history.

Three generations includes:

• Yourself
• Your biological siblings
• Any half sibling
• Your parents
• All aunts and uncles
• All 4 grandparents
• If you have children, we’ll ask for his/her/their medical information as well.

You’ll need to include the physical features such as eye and hair color, religious and ethnic background, educational level and any special talents for your parents and siblings.

This honest information is vital to our team when determining your eligibility for egg donation.

Here’s the medical information you’ll need to provide for your family members:

• Ethnicity/Ethnic background (where did your family originate)
• Current age
• If the relative is deceased, the age and cause of death (If you cannot provide cause of death when completing the application, we will ask you to gather this information later)
• Any genetic, medical, or health conditions and the age they were diagnosed with this condition. Some examples include:
  • Heart problems
  • Blood conditions
  • Respiratory conditions
  • Urinary conditions
  • Skin or dermatological issues
  • Muscle, bone, or joint conditions
  • Problems with the endocrine system or metabolism
  • Neurological conditions
  • Issues with vision, hearing, or other senses including the sense of smell
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Reproductive health problems, including miscarriages
  • History of cancer
  • Birth defects
• Any mental health conditions
• Any history of substance abuse

How Do You Obtain Your Family’s Medical Information?

This may seem like a long list, but it’s all vital information for the screening process.

So how do you go about finding all this information? The best way is simply to ask! Chances are, your family members will love to share.

If you’re uncomfortable broaching this topic, here are some creative ways to start the conversation about family medical history:

• “I’m seeing a new doctor and they requested this information.” Many medical professionals want to know your family’s medical history, it would not be out of the ordinary to need this information when seeing a new doctor, especially an OB/GYN.
• “I need it for my own personal knowledge.” Everyone wants to find out more about themselves, and one way to start is by looking at our families. (That’s one reason genealogy is growing in popularity.) You can also say you’d like this information if you’re interested in starting your own family one day.
• “I need it for a class project.” Are you a student? Many classes offer a reason to explore your own history.
• “A friend got her family medical history, and it was really helpful for her.” Talking about “a friend” can often help an awkward conversation get started.

Beyond being an egg donor, your family history involves your health and well-being too. This valuable information could help you when you have your own family in the future, and help you understand more about your own background.

Think you’re ready?

Apply to become an egg donor today!

If you have more questions about the egg donor requirements check out our FAQs or contact us.