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One of my roommates in college made a few rounds of donations. So I'm not speaking from personal experience. She's a pretty tough cookie and handled the process well (e.g. having to inject herself with hormones, yikes)!
However, she did the donations primarily for the monetary compensation. And while that's her choice and her right, and I think your reason is more noble. :)
I personally haven't, but would definitely consider it. The screening process is quite stringent, there are a lot of shots and doctor's appointments involved, but I think the help you're potentially giving to someone who wants to have a baby definitely makes it worth it. I know after this pregnancy we will not be having anymore children, so I will be considering egg donation before making that permanent.
I haven't done it, but I've heard it can be very painful and have some big side effects (i.e. retaining water and bloating to the point you *look* 6 months pregnant, massively increased fertility, etc). I've also heard the process of harvesting the eggs themselves is painful.
I think as long as you research the whole process and possible side effects that it is a very noble thing to do.
Like Gemstone, I knew of people in college who did it, but it was pretty much just for the money.
@Gemstone: hey, the monetary reason is why I looked into at first, to be honest. But, reading some of the TTC posts and all the anguish some women go through, made me realize that while the money's nice, to know that I could help someone have the baby they so desperately want is awesome, even more so than the money.
@Gemstone: hey, the monetary reason is why I looked into at first, to be honest. But, reading some of the TTC posts and all the anguish some women go through, made me realize that while the money's nice, to know that I could help someone have the baby they so desperately want is awesome, even more so than the money.
@KatyElle: yeah, I've done a good bit of research about it, so I know it wouldn't be easy or entirely comfortable, but if I can make it through all the screening, I figure I could give it a go before I'm too old (cut off is 31 for most places, and I'll be 28 this month)
@KatNYC2011: yup, I've read that too. But, I've also survived 2 bone surgeries, 2 cervical biopsies, cervical cancer, and am hoping that I will get picked on the bone marrow registry at some point. I also deal with bad arthritis in both feet, where I hobble around like a little old lady some days. To say that I'm used to pain is an understatement. NOt that I enjoy it at all, but I think that the side effects for this would be actually enjoyable, knowing that the end result would change someone's life for the better.
I am trying to do more good deeds from now on, and live a more thankful life
I had considered this, until the law in the UK changed, meaning that egg donors no longer have anonymity; I would just not be prepared to take the risk of a stranger tracking me down 18 years down the line telling me that they're my 'biological child'. I also would not realistically do it now for health reasons (I have endo, and coming off hormone treatments like the mini-pill is a seriously bad idea for me as it's quite aggressive and grows really quickly without treatment)
I'd look into it very carefully, and maybe try and speak to people who've actually gone through it; I wonder if you enquired about it whether they might be able to put you in touch with some kind of group?
I think it's a great thing to do, just go into it with your eyes open.
I stopped taking hormonal birth control simply because I didn't like the idea of messing with my body's normal functions for something that I could control externally. So for that reason, I would never consider donating eggs. It's very hard on your body, that's for sure. I love the idea of it though, as a regular blood donor in the marrow registry - it's just not something I would ever do!
I could never do it...I would personally be wondering about my eggs all the time! To me, it's kind of like adoption where someone else raises your biological child. I think I would constantly be looking and wondering if I had a son or daughter. I am defintely not emotionally equipped for that.
But I am on the Be the Match registry and I really hope that I get picked to donate marrow to someone. I feel like that would be such an amazing gift!
Sidenote: can you even get picked to donate your eggs if you've had cervical cancer and arthritis? I know they put you through a lot of medical evaluations and they typically look for a good health history.
@MrsSl82be: I totally understand that. And I'm sorry if my comment in any way offended you. With my former roommate, the thought process was, "I can't afford to make my car payments. I'm donating my eggs." And that's the mentality she retained throughout the entire process.
As I said before, my former roommate and any other woman who make the choice based on money has that right. I do admire, though, that you've also adopted an altruistic feeling about the process, too. I think the really interesting thing about egg donation is that both sides can benefit -- monetarily and with the opportunity to have a child.
@MrsSl82be: Hi there! I've considered this but I'm too old now (30) and I don't have the interest in going through the process at this point.
Forgive me for saying this, but I'm not even sure they'd consider your eggs due to your medical history. Most places (and recipients) are VERY particular about having the absolute healthiest and best eggs they can possibly find, and I'm just not sure that your history with cancer will make you a viable candidate.
@kate169: yeah I know, I am on meds right now so I couldn't do it right now anyway. Not even sure I am eligible, like you said. But it is something I will definitely look into
@barbie86: that's agood idea, to talk to a group about it. I'll look into that
@kate169: yeah I know, I am on meds right now so I couldn't do it right now anyway. Not even sure I am eligible, like you said. But it is something I will definitely look into
@barbie86: that's agood idea, to talk to a group about it. I'll look into that
@Gemstone: not in the least! Like I said, the money was my first reasoning for looking into it, but now I have a higher reasoning for doing it
ack, everytime I respond to more than one person in a post, it doubles it like that!
@KristenGotMarried: very true. Although, cancer is very common, so I wonder how they evaluate. Like, if it runs in every generation you wouldn't be, but if it skipped a generation you would be, or something along those lines.
That's why I want to talk to someone whose been through it, to see if its something even looking into. I think I will try to find a message board and get more information
@MrsSl82be: We've got the tech team looking into why that's happening. I'll probably send them a link to this thread so they can see it in action.
@MrsSl82be: If you have any questions about the process itself, feel free to PM me. I recently went through an IVF cycle and did pretty much the exact process that you'd have to with stimulation and retrieval. I didn't think the shots were a big deal. I was borderline hyperstimulated (29 follicles), but never got that horribly bloated. Egg retrieval was definitely surgery, but again a few days on the couch and I was ok. BUT I also know that I had a particularly good experience and it's not the case with everyone.
My biggest notes to you are (1) make sure you are fully ok with potentially having biological children out there someday, and them someday trying to contact you. (2) make sure you find a highly recommended and reputable clinic to do the egg donation. There are serious medical risks associated with being overstimulated, both before and after retrieval (research OHSS). Some clinics give donors massive doses of drugs to make sure they get lots of eggs (like 50!), and that's really unsafe for you. So make sure you will be stimulated appropriately, and also that they will give you solid medical care before-during-after. OHSS is no joke and you can be hospitalized long term if you are not monitored and treated appropriately. (3) Be prepared that even if you pass the inital screening, there's a chance that a couple might not choose you. Potential parents generally pay upwards of $20k for a single donor IVF cycle, and can be very picky about even things like eye color, hair color, etc.
Anyway, I think your intentions of helping people are totally in the right place, and I commend you for that. Having recently gone through a similar process, and considering donation in the future myself, I just have a lot of considerations fresh in my head :) Good luck whatever you decide!
@MerryC: thanks for the info! I would be going through John's Hopkins, so I don't think I would have to worry about any of that, but good to point out!! I will definitely PM you now, cuz I have some questions
I don't understand why so many people do it for the money, from what I have read about it it doesn't pay nearly as much as how much rough it is emotionally and physically. Not like sperm donation where it literally is no "extra" physical work. The hormones and surgery are enough that the 8-10K I see offered is not enough!
Plus I agree with @kate169:I would wonder about my possible biological children!
@ChemistryBride: You can remain anonymous, so I think I would want to do that. At least, at this point in my life I would want to. I think it would be pretty cool to think that somewhere in the world, there would be a little me running around, it wouldn't bother me.
And yes, there is a toll it takes on you, but I think the satisfaction I would get for helping parents have a baby would far outweigh the pain and money
Since egg donation is relatively new, there aren't a lot of studies on the long term effects - but a few that have been done seem to indicate that the hormone injections could drastically increase your chances of developing breast cancer in the future. I would recommend asking your clinic/doctor about 20+ year out studies.
@QuietOne: I second this. I currently work for a bioethics non-profit that focuses a lot on sperm and egg donation, and there are a lot women's health and reproductive rights issues tied up in the latter. Sadly, many woman have experienced significant health complications as a result of donating their eggs. Please, do your research prior to considering egg donation. And try your best to get your information from unbiased doctors (i.e., doctors who are not invested in getting you to donate your eggs). I also suggest you check out Eggsploitation, an informative and award-winning documentary on egg donation.
@MrsSl82be: I haven't ever gone through the process, but as someone who is struggling with TTC, I just wanted to say thank you for considering this. Whether you do it soley for monetary purposes or you do it b/c you truly feel awful for those with infertility issues (or a combination of both), what you would be doing is giving someone something that they otherwise wouldn't be able to have. And that's honorable in itself.
Very interesting thread! I think it's great that you want to help others.
I don't see anything wrong with it and so happy you are willing to help those who suffer with infertility. I personally couldn't do it and even with my personal infertility; wouldn't choose donor eggs.
I started to go through the process and backed out as soon as I heard about the risks to fertility down the road (I want to have my own kids at some point). But I was told that any past medical history - even something as minor as aenemia would likely eliminate me - so just be emotionally prepared to hear that your medical history rules you out - as Im sure that would suck to hear.
@MerryC: I just wanted to back up what you're saying about OHSS.
My best girlfriend suffered from OHSS while doing her first round of IVF and she spent almost a week in hospital and had to be off work for over a month. She also said that the hormones she had to inject prior to the egg retrieval gave her really painful ovaries.
I think egg donation is a wonderful thinh to do but it can have very serious side effects.
I've considered it for monitary reasons but I've been denied. For the same reasons I can't donate blood or organs I can't donate eggs - I lived overseas in the UK for longer than 6 months as a permanent resident during the early 90's. Due to mad cow disesase (BSE) I'm illegible in this country.
Not that it matters for me now but how much is the typical payment? The local place near me told me only $4000 per donation. Originally I though it'd be higher.
I have done it and it is regulated very strictly in south africa. I would, however, not recommend that it is done without serious research and before you have biological kids of your own. Also, for me, not something to be done with the eye on financial reward, though I am not judging.... Just how i feel about it. I dont see the twins that resulted from my donation as relation to me in any way, as their mother carried them for nine months. I was merely one link in a long chain that was partbof their journey to parenthood. Over here they screen all possible donors and recipients strictly and carefully to ensure that you are of sound mind and body. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions
@Katie Koekblik: thanks for commenting. I actually am not having my own children, which is why I would prefer to help others. I appreciate your willingness to help me, but after doing some research, I found that due to medical history, I am ineligible to donate :( Very sad, because I was actually looking forward to it
I have wanted to do it but I will wait until after we have the children we want. That way I make sure that the side effects don't somehow impede on MY ability to have children.
A willingness to help shows great spirit and i think it will comfort and reassure those ttc that there are people out there who really would like to help, because i think the road of infertility can be ver long, painful and lonely. Have a great weekend! It is now 23h13 friday night in cape town and i think winter is on its way!
As someone who also struggles with infertility, I just wanted to thank you for even considering this. I know stuff like this can be a hot button issue and people definitely have their oppinion. But, for a while I thought I was going to have to use donated eggs and people like you would have made that possible for me. So, thank you.
I've donated before and would do it in a heartbeat if they called me again. I was inspired to do so by a friend of mine who was struggling with infertility and used donated eggs to conceive. I was inspired by my friend's struggle, but the compensation was defintely icing on the cake.
The process certainly requires a lot of time and dedication, and can be physically uncomfortable at times (for me it was like PMS on steroids) but is so worth it. Since you're not planning on having children you defintely need to be super careful if you're going to be intimate during the egg harvesting cycle - all of the medication you are on makes you extremely fertile.
I think it's a great decision, and you're doing it for a very noble cause.
No, I couldn't do it. I would always be thinking about my eggs and where my child is now. Biologically it will always be a part of you out there somewhere... I couldn't see myself just letting it go without wondering about it.
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Just curious about the process, and your thoughts on it. I don't want kids, but I know there are so many ladies who would love to have them and can't. SO, I'm thinking of possibly doing a round or two of donation before I get sterlized for good.