Starting an egg donation journey can feel like stepping into the unknown, but the path from first inquiry to a confirmed match is more structured and predictable than most people expect. Knowing the steps ahead of time turns a daunting prospect into a clear, manageable plan.
What follows is a step-by-step look at how Intended Parents apply and move through the process with Fertility Match, from the criteria you’ll need to meet to the moment your donation cycle begins.
Fertility Match is a Canadian egg donation matching agency that connects Intended Parents with carefully screened donors and protects every donor’s privacy, founded by people who understand this journey firsthand. Guiding you through each step is exactly what we’re here to do.
Before you begin: the criteria to join
There are two things you’ll need in place to be matched with one of our donors:
- You’re a current patient of a fertility clinic in Canada that facilitates fresh egg donation
- You have the financial means to cover the costs of the journey
If you don’t yet have a clinic, that’s an easy first step to sort out, and our directory of fertility clinics across Canada is a good place to start. We are also happy to provide clinic recommendations during your free consultation.
Step 1: The free consultation
Everything begins with a conversation. You reach out, and we talk through your situation, answer your questions, and explain how the process works, with no obligation. It’s the moment to raise anything you’re unsure about and to get a feel for whether we’re the right fit for your family.
Step 2: Explore the donor database
During the consultation, you gain access to Canada’s Most Advanced Donor Database, where each donor is profiled across more than 150 data points spanning six categories, from medical history and education to personality and values. Our team helps you navigate it, and our guide on how to find the right egg donor for your family offers a helpful way to approach the search.
Step 3: Select and secure your donor
When you’ve found the right donor, we will send their profile off to your clinic for them to review. If approved, you will receive a detailed quote from our agency. After an in-depth finance call with our team, then sign your Ovum Donation Retainer Agreement with Fertility Match and settle the costs you’ve signed for. Once that’s complete, your match is declared official and your donor is reserved exclusively for you.
Step 4: Donor screening and medical clearance
With your match secured, the fertility clinic completes your donor’s medical screening and confirms she’s cleared to proceed. This stage is entirely the clinic’s domain, since Fertility Match is a matching agency rather than a medical clinic. Our guide to what egg donor medical screening involves explains what that step looks like.
Step 5: The legal process
Once your donor has been medically cleared, the legal process begins. Fertility Match refers your donor to a lawyer who specializes in egg donation law, and can connect you with experienced legal counsel of your own as well. Both sides receive independent legal advice, and the arrangement is formalized in the Ovum Donation Agreement between you and your donor. Our egg donation legal guide for Canada covers this in more detail.
Step 6: Your donation cycle begins
With the legal contracts in place, the IVF cycle can start. Fertility Match manages your donor’s appointments, travel arrangements, and reimbursable expenses throughout, while the fertility clinic carries out the cycle, the egg retrieval, and the creation and transfer of the embryo. Our overview of the egg donation process in Canada walks through the clinical stages.
What Fertility Match handles throughout
Across every step, the division of roles stays consistent. Fertility Match coordinates the matching, the scheduling, the travel, the reimbursement trust, and the legal referrals, and protects everyone’s privacy. The fertility clinic handles all of the medical care. You can see the full picture on our Intended Parents’’ process page.
Taking the next step
Seen as a whole, the Intended Parent journey is a series of clear, well-supported steps rather than one overwhelming leap. Knowing what each stage involves is often all it takes to feel ready to begin. When you’re ready to take the first step, contact Fertility Match today.
