Itching to know more about what it takes to become an egg donor?
One of the single most important criteria for becoming an egg donor is having a healthy BMI.
You might be wondering: What the heck is BMI? We got you, girl.
What is BMI?
BMI stands for Body Mass Index, and is a ratio of your height and weight. Doctors use BMI to measure whether a person is underweight, at a healthy weight, overweight or obese. Keeping a healthy BMI not only means that you’re killing at the gym, but it also means you could become an egg donor and help someone start their family!
What’s a healthy BMI?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a healthy BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.9. For egg donors, however, there’s a little more wiggle room: an acceptable BMI is 18-30.
What’s the link between BMI and eggs?
As an egg donor, your BMI may influence the ovarian stimulation and retrieval process necessary for donation. To prepare for donation, your doctor will prescribe injectable medication that will encourage your ovaries to produce multiple eggs. An egg donor with a BMI above the acceptable range may need to take higher doses of the medication and not produce as many eggs; also the egg quality may be impaired. In contrast, an egg donor with a BMI that’s too low runs the risk of developing Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), where the ovaries over-respond to medication. Being in the normal BMI range for egg donors (18-30) helps you have a successful stimulation cycle.
What’s the link between BMI and anesthesia?
Once your body has responded to the medication, the eggs are ready to be collected. This process involves an outpatient procedure to remove multiple eggs from your ovaries. Don’t worry though: the process is short (you should be done in 15 minutes!) and you will be asleep with anesthesia (so shouldn’t be painful). As with any procedure requiring anesthesia, there are risks involved, many of which are linked to your overall health. Having a healthy BMI can lower the risk of having issues while you are under anesthesia.
So if you haven’t been watching your BMI, it’s time to start. At Ovatures we want your BMI to be between 18 and 30 in order to donate. Not only will attaining a healthy BMI help boost your energy and get you fitting into *that* pair of jeans again, it may also let you give someone the ultimate gift: hope.
Ready to start eating better and moving more? These small changes in your eating habits and physical activity could just do the trick.
