Thinking about becoming an egg donor? Before you take the first step, here’s what the process actually looks like from your first application to the day you receive your compensation check.

In this solo episode, Eloise Drane a six-time egg donor herself and founder of Family Inceptions takes you through the entire egg donation journey in detail. She covers how to choose the right program, what medical screening and monitoring really involves, the legal agreements that protect you, and what compensation looks like at every level.

Eloise doesn’t sugarcoat it. She talks about OHSS, the emotional weight of the decision, what anonymity actually means in the age of 23andMe, and the questions most potential donors don’t know to ask until it’s too late.

If becoming an egg donor is calling you, this is the episode to start with.

“She is a kind and compassionate human being who wants to give a family a part of herself so they can feel whole.” — Eloise Drane

This episode is for women who are curious about egg donation and want an honest, detailed look at the process before they decide whether it’s right for them.

What You’ll Learn

• How to decide if egg donation is right for you and how to get clear on your ‘why’

• The qualifying criteria every egg donor must meet

• The four types of egg donation programs and how to choose between them

• What the application, matching, and medical screening process looks like step by step

• The medications you’ll take, what to expect, and what OHSS actually is

• Legal agreements: what the Egg Donor Agreement covers and why you need your own attorney

Episode Resources

Family Inceptions

Thinking About Becoming an Egg Donor?

If becoming an egg donor is something you’re exploring, visit https://familyinceptions.com/egg-donors/ to learn what’s involved.

This episode is part of our Between Seasons series, where we’re bringing back some of the most-loved and most-needed conversations from the Fertility Café archive while we work on our next full season.

Stay Connected

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fertilitycafe

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fertilitycafe

LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/fertility-cafe

More Resources

Learn more about surrogacy & fertility https://familyinceptions.com/

Listen to past episodes https://www.youtube.com/@FertilityCafe

Get expert insights & updates thefertilitycafe.com/resources

• (00:00:00) - Fertility Cafe Archive
• (00:00:26) - Egg Donor Chat
• (00:01:19) - E egg donation 101
• (00:02:57) - Are You Ready to Build a Family With Egg Donor?
• (00:03:51) - What Does an Egg Donor Look Like?
• (00:12:30) - Donor Selection: What Happens If You Get Chosen?
• (00:17:18) - Oocyte Donor Process
• (00:21:13) - E egg donation: Anonymous, Semi-Anonymous or
• (00:27:24) - Donor Compensation
• (00:29:25) - Becoming an Egg Donor

Should you freeze your eggs? It’s one of the most searched fertility questions online and one of the most misunderstood.

In this solo episode, Eloise Drane cuts through the noise and gives you an honest, grounded look at egg freezing: what the process actually involves, what it costs (financially and emotionally), who it’s right for, and what the conversation often leaves out.

Egg freezing has moved from a niche medical intervention to a mainstream choice but popularity hasn’t made it simpler or more accessible for everyone. Eloise explores how the technology evolved, what a real cycle looks like, and why access and equity still matter in this conversation.

Whether you’re seriously considering it or just trying to understand your options, this episode gives you real talk and the clarity to make a decision that’s actually right for you.

“Your timeline, your body, and your decisions deserve clarity and care.” - Eloise Drane

This episode is for women at any stage of life who are weighing egg freezing as an option and want honest, practical information before making a decision.

What You’ll Learn

• How egg freezing evolved from a last-resort treatment to a proactive choice

• What a real egg freezing cycle looks like, step by step

• The true cost of egg freezing financial, physical, and emotional

• Who egg freezing tends to work well for, and who it may not be right for

• Why access to egg freezing remains unequal despite growing mainstream interest

• How to think through the decision clearly, on your own timeline

Episode Resources

American Society for Reproductive Medicine

FertilityIQ

Stay Connected

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fertilitycafe

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fertilitycafe

LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/fertility-cafe

More Resources

Learn more about surrogacy & fertility https://familyinceptions.com/

Listen to past episodes https://www.youtube.com/@FertilityCafe

Get expert insights & updates thefertilitycafe.com/resources

• (00:00:00) - Fertility Cafe Archive
• (00:00:26) - Fertility Cafe
• (00:02:06) - What Egg Freezing Is Really Like
• (00:02:57) - E egg freezing: How it works, costs, and accessibility
• (00:11:40) - The Financial Reality of Egg Freezing
• (00:13:50) - Access Equity in the Business of Egg Freezing
• (00:16:21) - E egg freezing: The decision to freeze your eggs

Does your employer cover IVF, surrogacy, or egg donation? Most people have no idea what fertility benefits they’re entitled to, or how to ask for them.

In this episode, Eloise Drane sits down with Brooke Bartholomay Quinn, COO of Carrot Fertility and fertility benefits expert, to explore how companies are building fertility and family-building benefits into their packages, what those benefits actually cover, and how employees can advocate for themselves if those benefits don’t yet exist at their workplace.

They cover why family-building benefits have taken so long to become standard, how many current offerings still fall short on inclusion, and what it looks like when an employer gets it right.

If you’re navigating surrogacy or egg donation and wondering whether your employer could help cover the costs, this episode is essential listening.

“Fertility benefits aren’t a perk. They’re a signal of who your employer thinks deserves to build a family.” – Brooke Bartholomay Quinn

Guest Bio

Brooke Bartholomay Quinn is COO of Carrot Fertility and a fertility benefits expert with extensive experience helping companies build family-building support programs for employees navigating IVF, surrogacy, egg donation, adoption, and more.

This episode is for intended parents and anyone exploring family-building who wants to understand whether their workplace benefits can help offset the cost.

What You’ll Learn

• Why fertility and family-building benefits have lagged behind other workplace benefits
• How many current fertility benefit offerings still aren’t fully inclusive
• What employers gain by offering family-building support
• How to start the conversation with your HR team or employer
• What employees should ask when reviewing their benefits package

Episode Resources

Brooke on LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/brooke-bartholomay-quinn

A History of Employer-Sponsored Healthcare – griffinbenefits.com

Related Episodes

Ep 35: Infertility Epidemic

Start Your Family-Building Journey

If you’re considering building your family through surrogacy or egg donation, visit thefertilitycafe.com/start to talk with our team.

This episode is part of our Between Seasons series, where we’re bringing back some of the most-loved and most-needed conversations from the Fertility Café archive while we work on our next full season.

Stay Connected

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/fertilitycafe

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/fertilitycafe

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/fertility-cafe

More Resources

Learn more about surrogacy & fertility – https://familyinceptions.com/

Listen to past episodes – youtube.com/@FertilityCafePodcast/playlists

Get expert insights & updates – thefertilitycafe.com/resources

• (00:00:00) - Back in the Fertility Cafe Archive
• (00:00:52) - Fertility Cafe: Season 3
• (00:03:33) - A Question for Parrot's Lead Employee
• (00:04:44) - Carrot Fertility: What is it and how does it work
• (00:11:04) - Employment Benefits: The Need for Infertility Coverage
• (00:17:03) - The need for more inclusive language in fertility care
• (00:18:50) - Carrot Family Plan
• (00:22:10) - Is Google's Family Building Benefit Endangering Parenthood?
• (00:24:45) - Carrot Fertility: The Ideal Company for Family Forming Benefits
• (00:28:28) - Clinical Fertility Care Is Ending
• (00:29:37) - Fertility Cafe