The Perfect Donor

Staff taking calls.

Receptionist and front desk.

IVF facilities are equipped with the necessary technologies to keep sperm, eggs, and embryos stored in their optimum environment for survival.

Embryos need to grow in a dark, warm, moist environment.

Powerful microscopes are used when injecting a single sperm cell into an egg to fertilize it--a process known as ICSI.

Tanks like this are often used as back up embryo freezers.

Tanks like this are used for storing frozen sperm and other samples.

Wendie, a former egg donor, agency founder, and co-founder of SEEDS--Society for Ethics in Egg Donation.

At the conference for the Society for Ethics in Egg Donation. What are some of the ethical issues for egg donation and surrogacy?

Robin, founder of Global Egg Donors, struggled through her own battle with infertility before starting her agency.

Founder of Global Egg Donors watering her garden.

Egg donation advertisements

Jordin talking to Diane about her experiences as an egg donor in Thailand. She later found out her doctor was part of in international scandal.

Fela, lounging in her living room and texting on her phone.

Out walking her 3-legged dog she rescued from the shelter.

Being tourists in Venice Beach

Sightseeing in Venice Beach

Kristina showing Diane the tree her grandfather planted.

Marina talking about her experiences as an egg donor.

Kristina, about to go through her retrieval surgery, was busy texting her friends. This is her 6th and last cycle.

Interviewing Kate at her home in Southern California.

Talking about boyfriends and their favorite fast food.

Maia, Martene, and Katie came from different parts of the world to donate in Los Angeles.

Ricardo breaking down after a full day of interviews in Santa Barbara.

Going over the footage and eating a low budget dinner after a full day of shooting.

Diane Tober and Raquel Cool of "We Are Egg Donors" gave a talk on our egg donation research for a panel on reproductive justice at Mills College.

Driving in L.A.