As Economy Falls, Egg Donations Rise

Growing Number Of Women Going That Route To Raise Cash, Spurring Ethical And Safety Concerns

(CBS)  In this staggering economy, a growing number of young women are choosing a controversial and perhaps risky way to make money: donating their eggs to fertility clinics, in exchange for big bucks.

That's resulting in a number of ethical questions, not to mention concerns about their safety.

On The Early Show Saturday Edition, Nicole (who didn't want her last name used) explained why she's decided to go that route.

The 23-year old, unemployed actress stands to get $10,000 if she does it.

She told co-anchor Erica Hill that donating eggs "started becoming a serious decision for me when the fall of the economy started happening, and essentially me being a woman in this economy it hit me really, really hard. I have school debts and credit cards, and even living in New York, it's one of the most expensive places to live.

"So, when money started dwindling, I started doing a little bit of research on what I cold be doing to pick myself back up. I talked about it with one of my girlfriends, a good friend of mine, who had done it six times already, the maximum amount of times you can do it in terms of donating your eggs, and she had nothing but great things to say about it, just the money that you earn and that it just was not invasive and it was great. It was fine."

Kathy Benardo, co-founder of the Northeast Assisted Fertility Group, the egg donation facility Nicole is using, observed that, "There's definitely an increase in the number of people interested in donation, but most people aren't qualified. Of course the economy has spurred people to be interested, but also it's an expensive undertaking for the recipients, and keep in mind this is a treatment for infertility; it's not just about making money for women."

(Left: Nicole, a 23-year-old out-of-work actress, plans to donate eggs and will make $10,000 if she does.)

Bernardo noted that donors have to be "twenty-one to thirty, very educated, very healthy, very attractive, good medical and family history. I toss out about 90 percent of the applications I receive."

But Dr. Emaunel, of the National Institutes of Health, pointed to "the ethical concern about doing something to a woman not for her benefit, and especially just in trade for money. And then ... there's the medical concern.

"The primary concern is what's called Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome, and that's when fluid leaks out of the vessels. It causes pain, bloating, nausea, and occasionally it can be severe, causing failure of the kidneys and failure of the liver. There've even been reported deaths. A study in the Netherlands showed between six and ten out of 100,000 women had actually died.

"The real unfortunate fact is we don't have a lot of great data and studies of the long-term effects," Dr. Emanuel said. "What if you do it six times?"

Would he advise a woman to do it?

"You have to look at the risk, and there's really no health benefit to the women, and that's, I think, the real concern."

Bernardo countered that, "Hyper-ovarian Stimulation Syndrome occurs in one percent, and I don't think it's necessarily for egg donors exclusively, but for all women who undergo IVF (in-vitro fertilization). And women who undergo IVF using their own eggs could do it ten times and fail before they get to egg donation. So, there's a lot of IVF going on."

Bernardo said that egg donors are treated "just like regular patients. They're not treated like lab rats. They are treated like patients, and they're given insurance and the very best medical care, and they're really only on the (egg production) stimulating drugs eight to 12 days. They're given a lot of medical screenings, so they're in very good health."

Nicole acknowledged critics who say egg donation could be seen as women with money taking advantage of those without. "Yes," she said, "the monetary benefit is exceptionally nice, but the gift of giving life to somebody else who is not able to do that and to have that experience is something that I take in very, very personally.

"In researching everything I did, I spoke to my gynecologist and other gynecologists about it, and of course, there's always risk with doing this kind of procedure - there's risks with doing a lot of different procedures - but in the long-term, it's something, you know, I may be biologically connected to a child out in the world, but giving the gift of life, to someone who wants to be a mother and a father is so much more rewarding in terms of that."

[baby2mom]

South African egg donation encourages woman to donate for more ultruistic motivations.

Egg donors are offered a very small amount to compensate for their inconveniences incurred. Egg donors are offered extensive counselling before and during the egg donation program.

Jenny Currie
baby2mom Egg Donation and Surrogacy Programme
www.baby2mom.co.za

[mclaw11]

Before you leave a comment, it should be proof read beforehand. "Think before you 'except' an egg..." Wow. Part of America's problem is ignorant people like you who don't know the first thing about proper grammar or sentence structure. By the way, are you saying that only actresses in California donate eggs?

[ldr67]

I''m a devout Christian faced with the very painful realisation that my eggs are poor quality and few in number. We are interested in adoption but adoption is not a cure for infertility- it is another path to parenthood. Considering egg donation is the least selfish thing that I have ever done. I do it out of a deep love for my husband who desparately wants children. Please don''t judge people and say that they don''t love God because they have medical problems that cause infertility. It rains on the just and the unjust. That''s the way life goes. God works through fertility treatments every day. In fact, you get to see him at work and it is amazing.

[mdalerwill]

Another thought just crossed my mind the majority of the actress in california are nothing short of prostitues--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by arnoldbowers at 10:48 AM : Feb 08, 2009

You base this statement on what facts? Are you including aspiring actresses or only working actresses? How many are there of each? What behavior constitutes being "nothing short of prostitutes"?

[mdalerwill]

This is all our over-populated planet needs! A billion or so more people!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by grumpas at 09:34 AM : Feb 08, 2009

Bravo. I was beginning to think I was the only other person in the US who was even aware there is an overpopulation problem. I''m not sure what''s wrong with *adoption*, except that you can''t necessarily pick the child''s ethnic makeup and you can''t always find an infant. Older children need homes, too.

[mitch5511]

Does anyone else see the parallel in this?

At the beginning of the Great Depression, women sold eggs back then too...only it was chicken eggs to bring in extra income.

[areukidding2]

Why hasn''t anyone mentioned men who donate sperm for money? Why is this any different? What a double standard! On another note, donating eggs is hardly the same as donating organs for cash! Get real people. Oh and by the way, eggs and sperm do contain DNA how else would a child get their DNA from both parents????

[arnoldbowers]

Another thought just crossed my mind the majority of the actress in california are nothing short of prostitues, now think is that what we would want as a child or baby. Think before you except an egg if you want a child that might be prong to be a prostitute. Frank

[ms1-1-11]

pythoncharly

I am pro abortion but for other reasons:



1.Turner''s syndrome (X, 45)
2. Down Syndrome
3. Marfan''s Syndrome
4. Amniocentesis testing clearly indicates other disease or birth defects

Costly mostly to the United States Government since they have the burden of providing care for these individuals


et al., et cet.,

[grumpas]

This is all our over-populated planet needs! A billion or so more people!

[timbuckthree]

Are they cheaper by the dozen?

[chad55555]

This is sad, our leaders drive people to do crazy things(by not putting American people first over money)keeping jobs in this country),this no different then selling your body on the street. If this is a reflection on our society then we are in the dumps and deserve what BHO is doing to America. SO SAD,DEMEANING and DEGRADING.American morals and American Christian God that started this country is no longer.

[tmittelstaed]

"...I am currently doing in vitro and using a donor''''s eggs and there are a few misconceptions that people here have. First of all, the clinics aren''''t storing up eggs and freezing them. They have a book of donors and you choose someone as like you as possible and you and she are synched onto the same cycle..."

I was waiting for someone to say this. So, what we have here is the more girls who add their names in to "the book" the less chance that one of them will be a donor - and thus, be paid.

So in other words, by not making this simple fact clear in the article, the article is raising the hopes of many young girls that they can get money
when in reality, the chances are getting slimmer that they will. (due to the economy)

The other issues remain. I''m sure that if there was some way for you to use your own eggs, you would do it in a second and not use a donor.

[blazercoach1]

httpwwwnews,

I would agree that there is some faulty reasoning...but I''d have to say it''s in YOUR argument. To say that this is just adoption at an earlier point is to misunderstand the biology of personhood. An "egg" does not have a unique DNA. A "person"...even an unborn person at the point of conception....does have unique DNA from the mother and father.

I am not surprised that some would only consider this an ethical dilemma NOW in down economy when MORE people could be "exploited".....rather than right when this became a real possibility.

I am reminded of the character Ian Malcolm in "Jurassic Park": "Your scientists were so busy thinking about whether or not they COULD, they never stopped to consider whether or not they SHOULD"

[aprils64]

i am currently doing in vitro and using a donor''s eggs and there are a few misconceptions that people here have. First of all, the clinics aren''t storing up eggs and freezing them. They have a book of donors and you choose someone as like you as possible and you and she are synched onto the same cycle and after they retrieve the eggs, they fertilize them with the husband''s sperm and place only 1 or 2 eggs into the wife.
I am incredibly grateful for the young woman who is donating her eggs to me. This way I and my husband who are unable to have children due to my infertility, can give birth to a child that is biologically his and mine by adoption, so to speak. I can carry the child to term and make sure I do everything right to protect the child during pregnancy and afterward. Yes, it was very expensive, but if it means my husband and I can have a family, it is so worth it.

[eus109937]

So why can''t I sell my kidney? It is 100% against the law and medical ethics. Why? These females are certainly selling a part of their body. She is getting $10,000. Why can''t I sell my kidney or another part and get money for it?

[httpwwwnews]

Egg donation is no different than prostitution.... infertile women should either accept the fact or consider adoption. Women who give their eggs and women who use them are in need of counseling. Posted by Credibility2

This is some faulty and judgemental reasoning. This IS adoption, just at an earlier biological point in the human being''s life. A woman has many many eggs and only a fraction of them are ever fertilized, the majority perish in the monthly cycle. Giving a few eggs to an infertile couple is giving life for early adoption.

Someone who is willing to gestate someone else''s egg to maturity is likely someone who wants to experience the whole pregnancy and birth process. They also don''t risk trying to adopt and having a birth parent change their mind.

Kindness and generosity are lacking in today''s complex world, right at a time when we need to support each other more rather than less.

[credibility2]

..."limps"...that''s a funny one - meant "limbs"...

[credibility2]

Egg donation is no different than prostitution. I''m sure some that are desperate would consider selling their organs or limps or other body parts if they could get away with this. Back on point: infertile women should either accept the fact or consider adoption. Women who give their eggs and women who use them are in need of counseling.

[lemonskink]

Soon there will be a glut of eggs on the market, and the price will drop. Here''s a guy in Appalachia''s take on this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s97OT1USPxI

Copy and paste that one in your browser, and have a laugh for once.