For ladies who complete their application form to be an egg donor, many (if fact most) tick the box that they are available to travel to different provinces for the egg donation process. This can be a very exciting and adventurous project, as well as a positive aspect to include on your CV as an achievement.

Travelling egg donors are cautioned to understand some of the key facts around the travel arrangements. One of the greatest aspects to consider (this is also applicable to egg donors who are not specifically getting on an aeroplane) is that significant cost is incurred and recipients have deemed you so special so as to be prepared to pay for the travel arrangements. Egg donors incur no costs, just really need to be responsible. So as the donor, are you resposible enough to commit, follow-though and be as dedicated as is possible.

Usually there is an initial visit. Because of the travel arrangements, this trip will include a psychological and medical screening. These appointments will be arranged shortly after one another. The donor will be supported to get to and from the airport in her home town. Shuttle arrangements will be in play for her to and from the destination airport and clinic. It may be that the donor leaves the clinic with the medication and a guidline of proposed medical instructions assuming the psychological and medial evaluations yield positive feedback.

The donor will be provided with feedback and a proposal of dates for the actual donation. Depending on the clinic, further travel arrangements will require her return to the city of the scheduled donation for a further period of 8 days. This is usually the case when donors are travelling to Cape Town. The egg donation medication is started in her home city and she is scheduled to be at the clinic for her day 8 scan. For egg donations happening in Port Elizabeth, the donor may have her scans locally - depending on her exact location and only required in Port Elizabeth for the egg retrieval, so a two day trip.

Regardless of the exact number of trips and duration, all arrangements will be provided and the egg donor will have flights to and from the donation city, accommodation, meals, transfers/ shuttles to and from airport, clinic and guest house. Shuttles or transfers are deemed a more appropriate/ suitable option rather than hiring a car. The egg donor has no costs for hiring a car and no stress in terms of finding the right destination, which can be a challenge in a foreign city.

So whilst an egg donation out of town is exciting, an all expenses paid trip and opportunity to visit and enjoy a new destination, please also remember that this comes with a sense of duty, obligation and responsibility.