Targeting young, talented, artistic college women that are in need of extra income, ads are commonly placed in college newspapers offering women up to 5,000 dollars for donating their time and eggs to couples who are not able to conceive. Because many college students are overwhelmed by the large sums of money, egg donation is becoming a quick and easy way to pay off debt. Unfortunately, those who see egg donation as a “quick fix” to some of their financial problems may be greatly mistaken. As a former donor, I know from experience that act of donation is a long and difficult task.
Egg donation, the process of removing eggs from a female donor, fertilizing them, and transferring them to the intended mother, has helped couples who are not able to conceive with their own eggs since 1983. College students remain desirable candidates not only because they are broke, attractive and educated but also because younger women produce eggs of a higher quality and with less risk of genetic defects.
Prior to the donor being accepted by an agency, a donor must endure a series of psychological, medical, and personal questions. Family background, psychological history, hobbies, GPA, and sex life are discussed. Once a potential donor passes the initial screening process she is then placed on a waiting list to be browsed by intended parents. This is where the waiting begins, and it can take a month or longer to be selected as a donor.
In my case it took about four months before I received the phone call that I was chosen to become the donor of an anonymous couple. Upon selection I was told that I had to endure yet another series of tests including blood work, testing for infectious and genetic diseases, STD’s, as well as a psychological and legal consult, relinquishing any of my parental rights to the recipient couple.
After the agency received my test results I was educated on the donating process, procedure, fertility medications and potential risks that may be involved. I was told that the side effects included with the medications would be mild to severe PMS / menopausal symptoms including moodiness, hot flashes, bloating, and in rare cases a side effect called ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS), or twisting of the ovaries, which in severe cases may require hospitalization. OHSS can be avoided by drinking plenty of water and avoiding any and all strenuous activity.
Because I had to be in sync with the recipient’s cycle I was initially placed on birth control for two months until I was finally administered my first set of fertility shots. During a normal conception cycle one egg is released from the ovary each month for fertilization by a sperm cell to create an embryo. With the help of fertility drugs (IVF) such as Lupron and Gonal F, the development of more than one egg in the ovaries is stimulated. Once there are eggs of the perfect size and quantity (usually 15) they are retrieved.
After the first week of being on IVF medications and birth control I was an emotional wreck! I experienced all the PMS and Menopausal symptoms they warned me about including crying spurts, depression, and hot flashes not to mention being bloated and feeling like my stomach was about to explode. Needless to say this affected my personal, social, and sex life as abstinence is highly advised.
After being on the medications for about two months, my appointments became more frequent and I found myself driving to and from the clinic almost every day. Each time I went to my appointments, I was poked, prodded and monitored. After three weeks of being on the fertility drugs my recipient and I both were in sync and ready for the retrieval, I then had to administer one last shot prepped me for the retrieval of my eggs and the rest is history.
Upon completion of the retrieval I felt cramps, nausea and weakness. I was told that I had to monitor myself for signs of OHSS until I received my menstrual cycle. I then had to wait another month or two for all the paper work involved with process until I received my compensation.
For those women who are considering egg donating remember that it is not a painless, quick and easy process. A donor must literally commit her emotions, lifestyle and time to the IVF clinic for a time frame of up to six months or even a year before she receives payment for her time involved in the process. She must outweigh the pros and cons of the process and understand that it is more than just getting money for her eggs
Finally one important yet shocking piece of information that the agencies fail to mention to me during the entire process: The money I received for my “time,” is taxable!