Donor Nexus
January 19, 2026
Every egg donor goes through an application and a detailed medical, genetic and psychological screening before a cycle begins. Some applicants are ruled out along the way, usually for reasons tied to donor safety or the health of a future child, and many of those reasons are outside anyone's control.
If you are thinking about applying, this article covers the disqualifiers that come up most often, along with the things women often assume will rule them out but usually don't.
The short answer
The most common egg donation disqualifiers are age outside 19 to 30, a BMI outside of 18.5 to 24.9, smoking or drug use, a serious inherited or medical condition, low ovarian reserve, and mental health or support concerns found during screening.
Many things people worry about, like tattoos, tied tubes or having had a baby, do not rule you out on their own.
What are the most common egg donation disqualifiers?
Most disqualifications come from seven areas: age, body mass index (BMI), lifestyle, medical and genetic history, infectious disease results, ovarian reserve and psychological readiness. The table below shows what Donor Nexus looks for in each area and why it matters.
| Factor | What screening looks for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 19 to 30, with healthy women in their early 30s considered | Egg quality and response to medication decline with age |
| BMI | 18.5 to 24.9, with exceptions such as athletes with high muscle mass | Anesthesia safety and how well your ovaries respond to medication |
| Lifestyle | Non-smoker, no recreational drug use, limited alcohol | Tobacco harms ovarian reserve, and drug screens are part of testing |
| Medical and genetic history | No history suggesting hereditary disease, reviewed across three generations | Protects the health of a future child |
| Infectious disease | Negative FDA-required tests, such as HIV and hepatitis B and C | Federal donor eligibility rules |
| Ovarian reserve | AMH, FSH and antral follicle count in a healthy range | Predicts how many eggs your ovaries are likely to produce |
| Psychological readiness | Emotional stability, a support system, informed consent | Protects your wellbeing before, during and after donation |
Should you disclose everything on your egg donor application?
Yes. Nobody has a flawless medical or family history, and agencies are not expecting one, so being honest matters much more than trying to look like a perfect candidate. Screening tests, medical records and the genetic review will surface most issues anyway, and a donor who mentions something upfront comes across as more trustworthy.
Full disclosure also keeps you safe, because the screening process is built to catch what could put your own health at risk, not just the recipient's.Can your age or BMI disqualify you from egg donation?
Yes, both are common reasons an application stops early. Donor Nexus accepts donors from age 19 to 30 and considers healthy women in their early 30s. ASRM guidance says egg donors should be of legal age in their state and preferably between 21 and 34, and that donors under 21 should have a psychological evaluation by a qualified mental health professional.1 Every Donor Nexus donor completes that evaluation regardless of her age.
Our guide to the egg donor age limit explains why younger donors are preferred.
For weight, Donor Nexus typically looks for a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9, which lines up with the CDC's healthy weight range of 18.5 to less than 25.2 BMI is a screening tool and not a full picture of health, so a higher number from muscle mass is reviewed case by case. You can read more about BMI requirements for egg donation, including how BMI affects anesthesia and medication response.
Which medical and genetic history can disqualify an egg donor?
A personal or family history that suggests an inherited disease is one of the most common medical disqualifiers. ASRM states that donors should be healthy and have no history to suggest hereditary disease, and it calls for a detailed three-generation family history plus carrier screening for conditions such as cystic fibrosis or spinal muscular atrophy. 1
A certified genetic counselor reviews your answers and results. Being a carrier for a recessive condition does not always rule you out, because the sperm provider can be tested for the same condition, but some findings, including most X-linked conditions, do.
Infectious disease testing
Egg donors are tested for infections such as HIV 1 and 2, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. Under FDA donor eligibility rules, a donor whose screening test comes back reactive for a relevant infection is generally determined ineligible, and oocyte donors can be tested up to 30 days before retrieval.3
Ovarian reserve
Your screening includes blood work for anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and FSH, plus an ultrasound count of the small follicles in your ovaries. A low result suggests your ovaries may not respond well to stimulation, which can end an application even in a young, healthy donor. See what donor screening includes for the full list of tests.
Do mental health conditions disqualify you from donating eggs?
Not automatically, but they are reviewed closely. Every donor who reaches screening at Donor Nexus completes a session with a mental health professional and an online personality assessment. ASRM lists several case-by-case disqualifiers (its guidance calls them relative exclusion criteria) that screening teams weigh, including:1
- A serious mental illness, or a first-degree relative with one
- Current use of psychoactive medication
- Substance disorders
- Emotional, sexual or physical abuse without professional treatment
- Excessive stress
- Relationship instability
Case by case means each one is weighed in context, and a past episode of anxiety or depression that is well managed is a different conversation from a current situation. If you take an antidepressant or another psychiatric medication, say so on your application and talk with your prescriber before making any change. Our article on the egg donor psychological evaluation walks through what the session covers.
Can smoking, drugs or tattoos disqualify you?
Smoking and drug use are clear disqualifiers, while tattoos rarely are. Donor Nexus accepts non-smokers only, because tobacco affects the ovaries directly. An ASRM committee opinion notes that menopause occurs 1 to 4 years earlier in women who smoke cigarettes than in nonsmokers.4 Donors are also drug tested during screening, and a positive result is an automatic disqualification at Donor Nexus.
Tattoos and piercings matter only for infection risk. Under ASRM and FDA-based screening criteria, a tattoo or piercing done in the past 12 months with nonsterile equipment, or where you are unsure whether sterile procedures were used, is a risk factor. Injecting drugs for nonmedical reasons in the past 5 years is another.1
What does not disqualify you from donating eggs?
Several common situations sound like they might rule you out but usually do not:
- Tied tubes. Eggs come directly from the ovaries, so you can donate eggs with your tubes tied.
- Having children. You can donate after having a baby once you are finished breastfeeding and your cycles have returned. See donating eggs after having a baby.
- Birth control. Most methods are fine, though a hormonal IUD or implant may need to come out before your cycle.
- Tattoos and piercings done at a licensed studio.
Practical factors also count. A fresh cycle involves monitoring visits about every other day for 10 to 12 days, so reliable transportation and a flexible schedule matter, and so does having at least one person in your life to provide support.
What happens if you are disqualified?
Your case manager will let you know, and a disqualification is about fit for this medical process and not a judgment of you. Some factors can change over time, such as BMI, smoking or a recent tattoo, and you may be able to apply again later. Others, like a genetic finding or low ovarian reserve, usually do not change, and screening results can still give you useful information about your own health.
You can still help families through the Donor Nexus referral program. You do not need to have donated yourself, and you receive $1,000 once a donor you refer completes a retrieval, with no limit on referrals.
Frequently asked questions
What disqualifies you from donating eggs?
The most common reasons are being outside the age range, a BMI above program limits, smoking or drug use, a serious inherited or medical condition in you or your family, low ovarian reserve, and mental health or support concerns found during screening.
Can you donate eggs if you have depression?
Sometimes, depending on your history. ASRM guidance treats current use of psychoactive medication and a history of serious mental illness as case-by-case disqualifiers, so your history is reviewed individually. Share your full history on the application, and never stop a prescribed medication on your own to qualify.
Can you donate eggs with a tattoo?
Yes, in most cases. A tattoo or piercing only raises a concern if it was done in the past 12 months with nonsterile equipment, or if you are not sure sterile procedures were used.
Can you donate eggs if your tubes are tied?
Yes, because tubal ligation does not affect your ovaries, and eggs are retrieved directly from the ovaries, so tied tubes do not disqualify you.
If I am disqualified once, can I apply again later?
It depends on the reason. Factors that can change, such as BMI, smoking or recent tattoos, may allow a future application, while genetic findings, age and low ovarian reserve usually do not change.
Sources
- Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and Practice Committee of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. Gamete and embryo donation guidance. Fertility and Sterility. 2024;122(5):799-813. asrm.org
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult BMI categories. cdc.gov
- U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 1271.80, What are the general requirements for donor testing? ecfr.gov
- Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Tobacco or marijuana use and infertility: a committee opinion. Fertility and Sterility. 2024;121:589-603. asrm.org
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information about egg donor eligibility and is not medical advice. Screening decisions are made individually by the medical team, so talk with your doctor about your own health history.
California egg donor disclosure
Egg donation involves a screening process. Not all potential egg donors are selected. Not all selected egg donors receive the monetary amounts or compensation advertised. As with any medical procedure, there may be risks associated with human egg donation. Before an egg donor agrees to begin the egg donation process, and signs a legally binding contract, she is required to receive specific information on the known risks of egg donation. Consultation with your doctor prior to entering into a donor contract is advised.
Keep reading
Egg donation eligibility: can I donate eggs if...?
Quick answers on tattoos, IUDs, piercings, travel, medications and other common eligibility questions.
What does the egg donor screening process look like?
The medical, genetic, psychological and legal steps every egg donor completes before a cycle.
What are AMH levels and why do they matter?
How AMH testing estimates ovarian reserve and what your result means as an egg donor.
Donor Nexus
Donor Nexus is an egg donation agency, frozen egg bank, and embryo donation program based in Newport Beach, California. Since 2012 it has worked with more than 150 fertility clinics in the United States and abr…
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