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“Hi! Chelsea?! This is Amy from Baby Miracles!”
It had only been an hour since I replied to an add on Craigslist that was offering between 7,000-10,000 grand for an egg donor, and they were already calling. They called before I could really process what I had even gotten myself into. All I knew was that rent was almost due, my car had been chugging around on Empty for days, and I wasn’t quite prepared to strip for cash — since I couldn’t afford the liquor necessary to do so.
Any other time my eyes would have grazed an ad for egg donation, I wouldn’t have even noticed the dollar signs and the idea of EGGS would have only applied to my breakfast. This particular ad was so specific though…it was basically calling my name.
It was a NYC couple that couldn’t conceive, one was Italian the other was Irish (the exact mix of my ethnicities), they were looking for someone artsy (me), writer (me), musician (me), healthy (me), smart (me), height/weight (on the money) and blah blah blah. It was calling. I answered the ad, and it was so much of a calling I had them CALLING ME….not once, but twice. Three times. E-mails, IM’s and messages were also left.
I spent a couple weeks filling out the info (the couple was pushy and upped their going rate), I did the paperwork and then ALL of the details started to come to my attention. This wasn’t some piece of cake thing where you hand over a bloody rag and call it a baby. Egg donation came down to some moral conflicst and frankly, some needles.
In the end I chose not to do it, but I really needed to consider ALL of the information before I made that decision and here is what I found out…
THE FACTS:
1. Egg donation is time-consuming. During the donation cycle, you are given medications for about three weeks, and you make several visits to the program for blood tests and ultrasounds
2. You will be required to refrain from drinking alcohol (that’s a deal breaker), smoking cigarettes and using illegal drugs. You will not be able to use any prescription or non-prescription drugs without permission. If you are in a sexual relationship, you must abstain from unprotected intercourse during specific weeks of the treatment cycle.
3. Removing the eggs: The eggs will be removed from your ovaries in a minor surgical procedure called transvaginal ovarian aspiration. An ultrasound probe will be inserted into your vagina. A thin needle attached to the probe will be inserted into each follicle. Using suction, the egg and liquid inside each follicle are removed. UM? F*CKING OUCH.
4. You may donate anonymously.
5. First time donors receive compensation anywhere between $5, 000 to $14,000 depending on the recipient, company, etc. And usually the first payment is received upon taking the first medication.
Though it wasn’t for me, this is something that some people are willing to do and that obviously has helped a lot of families who have been unable to conceive. Below are a list of resources to find out more info:
- Baby Miracles
-Egg Donation Inc
-Becoming an Egg Donor
-New York Time Egg Donation Article
What are your thoughts on donating your eggs?
4 Comments
Touch situation. Anybody else found themselves donating eggs?
I just finished my first donation at the end of February. Here is what I learned:
1. Not everyone is cut out to donate eggs. If you will ever miss that egg (child) or ever even think of thinking o it as your own child, don’t even think of donating. It isn’t your baby. If you can;t think that way, you shouldn;t donate.
2. It can be very painful and time consuming. First week you are injecting youself once a night. Next two weeks, its TWO injections each night. You give them to yourself. Twice a week for three weeks I had to go in for vaginal ultrasounds and give blood. (and kind of alot of it)
3. Retrieval isn’t all that fun, but it isn;t all that bad either. I was lightly sedated and I had my best friend in the room with me. We spent the whole time talking about soup and making the nurses laugh. She did say the needles were huge though, I’m glad I didn’t see them myself.
4. Recovery is a bitch. For about 2 weeks I was in pain.
All together though I felt amazing when they called me 3 weeks later and told me the mother was pregnant. Not everyone has the chance to make someone else’s dream come true. This way just DEFINITELY isn’t for everyone.
Bottom Line: DON’T do it for the money. It isn’t worth the time and pain. DO do it to make someones life better. Consider the money an added bonus.
I have donated my egg twice and it was definitely worth it both from the perspective of doing a positve thing for someone and for the money. (I am in graduate school and it was SO helpful.) A few things to add in addition to Dasha’s comment:
1. My recovery was not bad at all. I had some cramping the evening of the extraction and some the next day but nothing that was “a bitch”. I took it easy and went about my business the next day. I didn’t jump on a trampoline or anything….
2. I donated through different agencies and I can say, hands down, that a good agency makes all the difference in how you feel about the process. The first time I went through some weird place in California that was NEVER in touch with me. The second time I went through a place in Chicago called Conceivabilities and they were awesome . Incredibly professional. I am going to consider donating one last time in the fall and wouldn’t have considered it if I hadn’t worked with them.
3. I agree: don’t do it for the money. Do it because you’re tough, open minded and a good person who could just so happen to use the money for something meaningful.
As someone who is unable to get pregnant and currently considering donor eggs, as well as someone who has also been through all the shots, etc., I’m extremely grateful to anyone who is willing to donate their eggs. They have no idea the gift they giving. I was fertile as a young woman, when I didn’t want to be, and now as a married mother of 1, I’d give anything to have those eggs back. So although some may think of it as a raw deal for the donors, the recipients of those eggs consider the donor a godsend amazing selfless person and will forever be grateful, so donors, yes, it’s a pain getting shots, etc., but the end result is well worth one month of your generous time. Thanks.
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