The single most under-communicated aspect of egg donation is how many applicants are rejected. At Militta-partner programs, the rejection rate sits between 88% and 93%. Intended parents never see the profiles of rejected candidates — and that is the entire point.
If you are comparing programs, a good first question is: what percentage of applicants make it into the database, and why? The honest answer should be in single digits.
The five screening layers
A serious egg-donor program applies five layers of screening, and an applicant must pass all five:
- Basic eligibility
- Medical evaluation
- Genetic screening
- Psychological evaluation
- Lifestyle and history
Layer 1 — basic eligibility
The first pass is purely criteria-based:
- Age 21 – 32 (some programs accept up to 35).
- BMI within a healthy range (typically 18 – 28).
- Non-smoker.
- No significant alcohol or recreational drug history.
- Regular menstrual cycles.
- At least one biological child of her own (often required — ensures the donor has completed her own family planning).
Roughly 40% of initial applicants are rejected at this layer.
Layer 2 — medical evaluation
Every remaining candidate undergoes:
- Reproductive-endocrinology assessment including AMH, FSH, LH, oestradiol, transvaginal ultrasound and antral follicle count.
- General health exam with CBC, biochemistry, thyroid function, vitamin D.
- Infectious-disease panel: HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis, CMV (IgG and IgM), chlamydia, gonorrhoea, mycoplasma, ureaplasma.
- Gynaecological examination and Pap smear.
An additional ~20% of candidates are rejected at this layer. The most common reasons: low ovarian reserve, elevated FSH, positive CMV IgM, or undetected pathology on ultrasound.
Layer 3 — genetic screening
Genetic screening is the single biggest differentiator between serious programs and budget programs. Militta-partner programs run:
- Karyotype (46,XX; balanced translocations disqualify).
- Expanded carrier screening — typically 300+ recessive conditions, including cystic fibrosis, SMA, fragile-X, thalassaemia, sickle-cell and many others.
- Family medical history three generations back.
Approximately 15% of remaining candidates are rejected here, usually for carrier status of a severe recessive condition that would require sperm-side compatibility to be cleared.
Layer 4 — psychological evaluation
A clinical psychologist evaluates:
- Motivation for donation (stated reasons and underlying pattern).
- Mental-health history (major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, psychosis, eating disorders, active anxiety disorder).
- Stability of current life circumstances (housing, income, support network).
- Informed understanding of the donation process.
- Ability to give legally valid consent.
Roughly 10% of remaining candidates are rejected here.
Layer 5 — lifestyle and history
Final verification layer:
- Background check for criminal history.
- Verification of educational and occupational claims.
- Social-media and public-record review for consistency.
Roughly 5% of remaining candidates are rejected in final verification.
Why this matters for intended parents
Two practical consequences:
- The donor database you see is curated. You never see the applicants who failed any of these five layers. That is why the “small pool” of a careful program is far more valuable than a “large pool” with shallow screening.
- A matching timeline of 2–4 weeks is realistic. If a program promises you a donor in days, that is a sign they are not running full layered screening.
Questions to ask any donor program
- What percentage of applicants make it into your database, and at which layer do most rejections happen?
- Which genetic panel do you run, by how many conditions, and which lab?
- What is the process if a donor matches your criteria but carries a variant that matches my partner's sperm?
- Who performs the psychological evaluation, and what standardised instrument do you use?
- How many eggs do you guarantee per cycle, and what is the remedy if the yield is lower?
Next step
If you are considering egg donation, the Militta team is happy to walk you through donor profiles and matching. Learn more about our egg donation programs →