Egg Donor Pros & Cons
As with anything else, there are pros and cons to donation eggs to couples seeking to get pregnant. Fertile women around the world donate eggs to egg donor banks to be used for artificial insemination procedures for infertile couples. Some donate out of the kindness of their hearts while others get paid.
As with anything else, there are pros and cons to donation eggs to couples seeking to get pregnant. Fertile women around the world donate eggs to egg donor banks to be used for artificial insemination procedures for infertile couples. Some donate out of the kindness of their hearts while others get paid. Regardless, the procedure involves both risks and benefits, which both egg donors and recipients of eggs should know about in order to make educated and informed decisions regarding the controversial process.
Psychological
There are both pros and cons on a psychological level when it comes to egg donation. Many women feel happy to be able to donate eggs to a donor bank or to a couple that has been unable to conceive. However, some women, according to an article written in "Fertility and Sterility," one of out five women may also face doubts and concerns about how their donation will eventually be used to conceive a child, and how that child will be raised.
Some egg donation brokers seek specific types of individuals according to race, genetics, intelligence, and physical characteristics. While such screening does help couples to receive eggs that may more closely match them in appearance, there are no absolute guarantees that such eggs will produce the characteristics a couple specifies. This screening process has also been likened to a 'master race' mentality, which may prompt negative attitudes toward the donor or the recipient.
Monetary Benefits
In some countries, egg donations are viewed as an organ donation, and donors are not paid for their donations. In some places, cash is offered per donation. An article written by "U.S. News" stated that women could be offered about $4,000 to donate in a single harvesting attempt, with up to dozens of eggs being harvested per session.
Risks
Some of the risks associated with egg donation may include, but are not limited to, infection, pain, cramping and overstimulation of the ovary, which may alter menstrual cycles. No studies to date have determined whether the egg harvesting procedure interferes with a woman's ability to conceive on her own, or whether the process affects fertility.
While donors usually undergo rigorous screening tests and questionnaires, there is always a risk of donating eggs that contain genetic defects that may develop into disorders such as Huntington's, heart problems or mental deficiencies. A woman donating eggs may not know of her family's detailed medical history, or may even falsify information in order to receive the monetary benefits of egg donation.