Does My Egg Donor Need to Look Like Me?

Looking for the ideal egg donor to help build your family can be a daunting task, and most people have a lot of questions when beginning the process.

In particular, many individuals and couples searching for an egg donor wonder whether the donor should look like either of them.

The short answer? It depends.

What Should You Look for in an Egg Donor?

While some people might be less concerned with ensuring that their potential future child resembles them, others find it very important.

Many intended parents choose to focus more on a donor’s education, interests, medical history, and overall personality. For example, if you are passionate about literature, you may choose a donor who has studied the subject or lists reading as one of her main interests. If you’re a classical music aficionado, a donor who plays in an orchestra might pique your interest.

For some couples, appearance takes top priority. This may be important for some mixed-race couples, for example, who would like their potential future child to resemble both intended parents. Or for some individuals and couples with strong ties to their nationality, race, or ethnicity, finding a donor with a similar background and appearance may be appealing.

Of course, placing emphasis on both personality and appearance is an option as well, and you might find that your priorities end up shifting over time as you move further into your donor search.

While the majority of egg donors are anonymous, some intended parents choose to work with a known donor, such as a biological family member, in order to increase the chances of a baby looking like them. However, even this does not guarantee that the child will look like you. (Even siblings with the same biological parents can have very different physical traits. Plus, some traits skip generations.)

What Physical Traits Can I Choose for an Egg Donor?

If you’re hoping to choose an egg donor with specific physical traits similar to your own, you have a range of qualities to choose from — eye color, hair color, skin tone, height, and so on.

Working with a donor with similar physical characteristics will increase the chances of your potential child resembling you and/or your partner. When searching through donor databases, you will be able to sort donors by many factors, including the ones listed above, as well as race, ethnicity, interests, education, religion, and more.

However, it’s important to remember that the more flexible you are, the more donor options you will have.

Why Should I Remain Flexible in My Egg Donor Criteria?

The more required criteria you have for your egg donor, the fewer options you will end up with. The more flexible you are in your search, the more options you will have — and you may even end up realizing along the way that what you thought were your top priorities are actually less important than you expected.

For example, you may have started out thinking that your donor must have a certain eye color but then notice a donor who stands out in other ways. Maybe the donor shares a passion for sports or has traveled the world. Perhaps she is a dedicated artist or involved in human rights causes.

It may help to think about the kind of person you’d like to know as a friend, or whom you would hit it off with at a cocktail party. On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with remaining steadfast in your desire to have a child who resembles you and/or your partner. Just be sure to keep your mind open as you embark on this exciting journey.

Learn More About Egg Donation

To learn more about the egg donation process and what to look for in a donor, contact the team at Fertility Source Companies today.