When a woman is considering egg donation, there are many psychological, emotional and physical factors to consider as part of this fertility process. From anonymous egg donation to donation “upon request”, women donors should be fully educated in the process and lifelong implications before considering the egg donation fertility procedure. The following is an overview of the issues at the forefront of the woman who plans to pursue egg donation as part of a fertility program.
In terms of a woman’s physical requirements, each egg donation fertility clinic will vary on the qualifications expected. However, in most cases, the fertility clinic require the egg donor be at least 21 years of of age and less than 35 years of age which is scientifically based on the known health factors which affect the ovarian egg production in women within age groups outside of this spectrum. In addition to the age requirement, most fertility clinics will require the female egg donor has, at least, successfully birthed one child and may even go so far as to perform IQ tests and monitor height and weight proportions. These statistics will, in all likelihood, be shared on the fertility clinic’s database for potential couples to review when selecting an egg donor.
In terms of emotional and psychological health, women who choose to donate eggs, as part of a fertility program, will be required to donate eggs and remain anonymous. However, in some fertility clinics there is an option choose to be identified and even interviewed by the potential couple seeking assistance through the fertility clinic. In most egg donation cases, anonymous egg donation is recommended by the fertility clinic. For those women who choose egg donation, whether anonymous or with identification, the ability to detach from the egg upon donation is crucially important. In rare cases, a woman who has donated eggs may feel as if she has donated a life or given a life away. Because the donated egg is not fertilized, and may never be fertilized, it is important for women, participating in a fertility clinic, to be emotionally capable of detaching from the specimen egg. For this reason, many fertility clinics will require that a woman, considering egg donation, undergo psychological and emotional counseling prior to donation and, in rare cases, following the egg donation.
In addition to physical and emotional factors, the egg donating woman must also be committed to the fertility process. Because egg donation is a time consuming medical process, a woman undergoing the fertility procedure must be fully committed to the basis on which the egg donation is taking place. Throughout a three week process, the egg donor will be required to use several types of medications, maintain frequent office visits and undergo several ultrasounds. In addition to the time committement, women who choose to donate eggs must abstain from sexual intercourse, avoid all drugs not part of the donation process and not consume alcohol. In addition, some fertility clinics may require the woman undergo a series of addition dietary modifications.
Once deciding to pursue egg donation, many women may then ask if there is a compensation or monetary benefit from egg donation. The answer to this is, “Maybe”. Depending on the fertility clinic, the egg donor may be compensated at a flat rate, may be compensated based on the financial offering of the couple choosing to the use the donor egg and, in some cases, is offered an expense reimbursement program for travel, meals, childcare and any lost wages.
As with any fertility related program, understanding the full aspect of the program, and its success rate with relation to committment, is crucially important before deciding to proceed. For women considering egg donation, pursing emotional and physical counseling is crucially important to the success of the fertility process in addition to committing time and energy to the donation process. For more information regarding egg donation, visit www.eggdonor.com
