Pros and Cons of Being Egg Donor

Infertility is defined as a “disease of the reproductive system” by the World Health Organization, and it results in disability. Nowadays, reproductive medicine and endocrinology are rapidly growing with success stories that have resolved infertility by using advanced innovations. That’s why many couples who are going to use IVF treatment with donor eggs are looking for the perfect and suitable egg donor with a similar appearance, good medical history and high IQ.

Being an egg donor is the best way to share kindness, happiness and realize someone’s dream by helping infertile couples have a child, but in addition to this, there are many reasons for considering being egg donor. In this article, you will find out about the pros and cons of being an egg donor.

Who Needs An Egg Donor?

Same-sex couples
Single women
Women or men going through cancer treatment
Women with early menopause or premature ovarian failure (POF)
Women over the age of 40
Women with extremely poor egg quality
Women with a genetic disease
Women with hormonal imbalance

Who Can Become An Egg Donor?

In Ovoria Egg Donor Bank egg donors meet the following criteria:

Young fertile women at the age of 18-32
Perfectly physically and mentally healthy
Thoroughly screened and rescreened
Without detrimental habits or addictions
With proven fertility (have at least one own healthy child)
Without hereditary diseases and negative phenotypic signs

Pros of Being Egg Donor

Giving a Gift of Life by Donating Eggs

Some couples want to have children. Unfortunately, some families struggle to conceive a child of their own. Couples dealing with infertility issues can turn to the egg donation process for help. Using IVF treatment with the donor eggs brings them the opportunity to realize their dream. The most common type of egg donor is a woman with a child. Just like most women, she wants to help another woman to experience the joy of parenthood. Donors do not have infertility; they are interested to be useful for intended parents who have fertility troubles by donating their own eggs.

Receiving a Free Health Screening

The egg donation program will provide free health testing. It means that potential donor doesn't need to worry about the expense of screening process. Moreover, egg donation is a good opportunity to get a reproductive health check. It includes testing for common diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, including Herpes, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and various genetic disorders. Ovoria Egg Donor Bank examine potential donors according to the international ART associations guidelines: EU-Tissue Directive 2004/23/CE, 2006/17/EC. Our lab and diagnostics testing are involved:

Blood type, Rh factor
HIV-1 Ag р24 and summary antibodies, including group О and HIV-2 (ECLIA)
Treponema pallidum, summary antibodies
PCR HBV (Real-time)
PCR HCV (Real-time)
PCR, Chlamydia trachomatis (genital swab)
PCR. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (genital swab)
Сomplete blood count
Coagulogram
CMV, IgМ
CMV, IgG
AMH, MIS
LH
Estradiol (E2)
FSH
Vaginal smear
PAP-test
Psychological counselling

Genetic testing includes:

Karyotype
Cystic Fibrosis
Fragile X
SMA

Moreover, Ovoria Egg Donor Bank offers the possibility of potential egg donors testing, which is an extensive analysis with a 400+ panel carrier screen identifying specific autosomal recessive and X-linked diseases. This information will help intended parents learn more about their risk of having a child with specific genetic defects and certain disorders.

NGS sequencing of 418 genes (not hos-spon mutations) of most common recessive genetic disorders, including CNV for 33 genes:

Cx26
CFTR
PAH
SMN1
DMD
CYP21A2
FANCA
FANCC
GBA
HBA1,2
HEXA

In addition to this, Egg Donor Profile in Ovoria Egg Bank includes 3 sections: donor personality, medical history and family overview.

Receiving a Monetary Compensation

Financial compensation is what makes becoming an egg donor seem worth the egg donor’s time and effort. The program rewards can help cover the education fee, pay for living, or save for the future.

Having an Opportunity to Know The Child

However, there are cases where this is not true so that it can be both a pro and a con. But in certain “directed” egg donation cases, donors can contact the child throughout their post-birth life. A woman will have the opportunity to get with a child only in one case when intended parents will choose an open ID egg donor, which in turn means the donating eggs will be absolutely anonymous process.

Psychological Satisfaction

On the good side of psychological benefits is feeling happy by donating eggs for intended couples. The potential egg donors will get personal satisfaction by giving hopeless and child's life for many women who dream to be a mother.

Cons of Being Egg Donor

Limited Involvement For Egg Donation

As we mentioned before, the main goal of donation is to help infertility couples to have a child. That’s why donating eggs can not be considered as a job. Ukrainian law sets the limit of 8 stimulation cycles. Ovoria Egg Bank work only according to the rules.

Experiencing Some Side Effects

Side effects from fertility drugs may be different for each donor. Some egg donors experience no complications and stress, while others experience some. If women after the donation cycle experience any side effects, they can include bloating, moodiness, cramping, aching, PMS- like symptoms or hot flashes.

There are some possible disadvantages of donating eggs. However, the inevitable connection of a woman to her egg that later transcends into maternity might be overwhelming sometimes. Several donors approach their donated eggs with detachment.

The Egg Donation Process can Causes Stress

The whole egg donation procedure can take patience. That's why many women can feel stress or anxiety during medical procedures. Ovoria Egg Donor Bank in the end of egg donor process after all medical appointments and approvals provide personality tests.

Egg Donor Requirements in Ovoria Egg Bank

Ovoria egg donor bank cares a lot about the egg donor selection process and always help intended parents to find the perfect egg donor. We totally understand that oocytes quality depends on how strict we adhere to the rules of interviewing donors, their screening, ovarian stimulation or ovarian hyperstimulation (in case if a woman is sensitive to fertility medication) and the egg retrieval process.

Our potential egg donors meet the following criteria: