Egg Donations Increase the Reach of IVF

The two most common situations treated with in vitro fertilization occur when the women’s body does not provide a suitable environment for conception or when the man’s sperm count is not high enough to predict a union with the egg. In both of these instances doctors join the sperm and egg in a laboratory where the environment can be better controlled.

But these cases are not the only instances where IVF is used as a fertility option. It is not uncommon for women to have trouble producing their own healthy eggs, which are an essential piece of the fertility puzzle. Sometimes the medical conditions associated with egg production can be treated, but in other case they can not. This is where the concept of egg donation comes into play.

Egg donation involves healthy females providing their own eggs for use by couples who are having infertility problems. In some cases women do this as a way of giving to those less fortunate than themselves, but more commonly it is done for financial compensation. The average compensation for egg donation ranges from $5000 to $10000 depending on the health and genetic record of the donor. While this sum may appear to be a substantial amount of money, the process involved with egg donation can be mentally and physically taxing on the donor.

Only a small amount of women who sign up to be donors are ever accepted into the donation program. Most of the time it is the strict physical and genetic requirements by doctors and potential parents that eliminates a women from consideration. The typical screening process includes weeks of blood tests and psychological screening. When a physical donor is approved, she is also screened by the couple for their personal requirements of physical and mental attributes.

There is some uncertainty as to the health effects related to the vetting process. While the most common side effects are generally mild (abdominal discomfort and bloating) the procedure does not have a long enough history to estimate long-term effects. This unknown parameter is a risk that the donor must accept in return for the opportunity to earn extra money.

While some may criticize women who sell their eggs for financial gain, the fact is that there is a growing market that supports the market. As medical technology continues to advance, the success rate of in vitro fertilization has increased substantially. But without the availability of healthy eggs the entire process is impossible. Thus, those who can afford to compensate healthy egg donors are usually more than happy to do so.