Egg Donation: Most Donors Satisfied
Most women who donate their eggs at fertility clinics look back at their egg donation experience with satisfaction -- but others express physical and psychological concerns, according to a new study.
Nancy Kenney, Ph.D., of the University of Washington and Michelle McGowan, Ph.D., of Case Western Reserve University studied 80 egg donors from around the U.S., reporting their results in the journal Fertility and Sterility.
The women completed questionnaires about their expectations and experiences the first time they donated eggs. At least two years had passed since that donation. The reason for the delay was to give the women time for long-term perspective.
All of the women had been paid for donating their eggs. They reported payments ranging from about $1,100 to $7,300. For some women, money was their sole motivation, but others said they did it purely (or at least partly) out of altruism.
Emotional, Physical Feedback
Two-thirds of the women reported only positive feelings about having donated their eggs. Another 14 percent had negative feelings, 12% had mixed feelings, and the remaining women had neutral feelings or didn't answer that question.
The positive feelings included happiness and pride at having helped someone else. The negative feelings included frustration that the donation process was anonymous (so they could never know what happened to their eggs) and feeling underpaid for their donation.
Sixteen percent of the women reported physical problems -- including ovarian cysts, fertility problems, and weight gain -- that they linked to donating eggs. But here's no proof that egg donation caused any of those problems, Kenney and McGowan note.
Pain and bloating at the time of the donation were the most common physical problems that the women reported; most cases were mild. But 20 percent of the women said they didn't remember being told about any physical risks, such as ovarian hyperstimulation, before donating their eggs.
From a psychological standpoint, seven women said they were still curious to know about any children that may have resulted from their donation. And two donors "had developed ongoing concerns that a child that they bear and raise might, by chance, meet and develop a relationship with her donor offspring," write Kenney and McGowan.
It's not clear if the women who chose to complete the survey were representative of other egg donors. The researchers recommend longer follow-up with egg donors to see how they fare physically and psychologically.
By Miranda Hitti
Reviewed by Louise Chang
?2005-2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved
© 2008 WebMD, LLC.. All Rights Reserved. Nancy Kenney, Ph.D., of the University of Washington and Michelle McGowan, Ph.D., of Case Western Reserve University studied 80 egg donors from around the U.S., reporting their results in the journal Fertility and Sterility.
The women completed questionnaires about their expectations and experiences the first time they donated eggs. At least two years had passed since that donation. The reason for the delay was to give the women time for long-term perspective.
All of the women had been paid for donating their eggs. They reported payments ranging from about $1,100 to $7,300. For some women, money was their sole motivation, but others said they did it purely (or at least partly) out of altruism.
Emotional, Physical Feedback
Two-thirds of the women reported only positive feelings about having donated their eggs. Another 14 percent had negative feelings, 12% had mixed feelings, and the remaining women had neutral feelings or didn't answer that question.
The positive feelings included happiness and pride at having helped someone else. The negative feelings included frustration that the donation process was anonymous (so they could never know what happened to their eggs) and feeling underpaid for their donation.
Sixteen percent of the women reported physical problems -- including ovarian cysts, fertility problems, and weight gain -- that they linked to donating eggs. But here's no proof that egg donation caused any of those problems, Kenney and McGowan note.
Pain and bloating at the time of the donation were the most common physical problems that the women reported; most cases were mild. But 20 percent of the women said they didn't remember being told about any physical risks, such as ovarian hyperstimulation, before donating their eggs.
From a psychological standpoint, seven women said they were still curious to know about any children that may have resulted from their donation. And two donors "had developed ongoing concerns that a child that they bear and raise might, by chance, meet and develop a relationship with her donor offspring," write Kenney and McGowan.
It's not clear if the women who chose to complete the survey were representative of other egg donors. The researchers recommend longer follow-up with egg donors to see how they fare physically and psychologically.
By Miranda Hitti
Reviewed by Louise Chang
?2005-2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved
Popular in Health
- Environmental Working Group's top sunscreens for 2013 12 Photos
- Which sunscreens are recommended for 2013?
- Skin cancer self-exam: What to look for (PHOTOS)
- Disney pulls show that makes fun of gluten-free child
- Handbags may contain more germs than average toilet flush
- Ketamine shown to help fight treatment-resistant depression
- Doctor: Gel manicures a potential skin cancer risk
- FDA raises concerns about experimental sleep aid suvorexant
Having said this, egg donors in South Africa are given a fixed amount to compensate for the inconvenience of proceeding through the egg donation treatment. This is regardless of any qualifications.
baby2mom Egg Donation and Surrogacy Agency
http://www.baby2mom.co.za
Read this story of how British women pay Indian women a couple 100 worthless British pounds to carry their larvae like children.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-500601/Wombs-rent-Childless-British-couples-pay-Indian-women-carry-babies.html