BMI Requirements for Egg Donation: Why They Matter

Egg donors are pre-screened on a very specific set of parameters. The purpose is to ensure that the eggs that are retrieved at the end of the process are healthy and viable, without anomalies that could prevent successful family building. The metrics used to pre-select donors include a person’s age, weight and in particular, their BMI. While it may seem at face value that these criteria are arbitrary, they do have a significant impact on the success of egg retrieval from a medical perspective. Let us look at how BMI affects egg donation in this article. 

Why Clinics Have BMI Cutoffs

BMI is measured by dividing a person’s weight by their height, squared. The result is an index that gives a generalization of a person’s overall health. Medically, a healthy adult BMI ranges between 18.4 on the lower end and 24.9 on the higher end of the spectrum. At a BMI of 25 a person is considered overweight, and at a BMI of 18, one is considered underweight. Obesity is said to occur when a person’s BMI is 30 or more. The reason why BMI is measured in this way, is because a person can be overweight without appearing to be so, or underweight without appearing to be so. In the context of egg donation, being underweight, overweight or obese puts one at a higher risk for complications. As well, a person with a healthy BMI is likely to have more healthy eggs that can be used to facilitate family building. 

How BMI Affects Ovarian Stimulation

All cells in the body contain adipose tissue to some extent or another. The purpose of this is to provide nutrition and insulation for cells. Adipose tissue also is a source of hormonal production in the body. During ovarian stimulation, hormones are used to facilitate the development of multiple eggs to maturity. This can result in a person gaining some weight, which would increase the amount of adipose in their cells, including their eggs. 

For the development of eggs, even a small increase in adipose tissue could increase hormonal levels in the body, or cause irregularities in the production of hormones. Additionally, the eggs in the ovarian reserve, and those being developed could also become covered in a thicker layer of adipose. An increased amount of adipose, combined with an increase in or irregular production of hormones could result in swelling and inflammation. This could also make the egg retrieval process even more challenging. 

Can You Lose Weight to Qualify?

When a person is overweight or obese, they may experience challenges in building their family naturally. This is because hormonal production is also negatively impacted resulting in irregular menstruation. Weight loss helps to regulate hormonal production and shed the excess adipose that could prevent sperm from effectively fertilizing the eggs. 

In the same token, weight loss could improve egg health, resulting in successful ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval. While this is so, it is important to note that a person’s BMI is not the only factor that qualifies them to donate their eggs. There are additional lifestyle, medical and genetic factors that are put into consideration. All these factors in totality will determine whether or not one qualifies to donate their eggs.

In Conclusion

Among other factors, a healthy BMI is crucial to egg donation, without which a person may experience complications during the egg donation process. As well, egg retrieval could be negatively impacted when a person’s BMI does not fall under a healthy range. 

The purpose of egg donation is also to provide good quality, healthy eggs for family building. Therefore, an unhealthy BMI can affect the quality of one’s eggs, impacting their qualification to donate. 

If you want to donate your eggs and do not know whether you qualify, speak to our experts at the Utah Fertility Center. We are happy to support you in your egg donation journey. Contact us today!