Egg Donation Risks
Egg donation is the process through which a woman can provide her eggs to women or couples who are having trouble conceiving on their own. A woman may do this for selfless and charitable reasons, or she may do it for monetary compensation. No matter what her reasons, there are some risks involved.
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Process
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When a woman decides to donate her eggs, she agrees to allow a doctor to remove eggs from her body for the purpose of helping another woman conceive a child. The eggs are used in a process called in vitro fertilization, during which doctors use sperm to fertilize donor eggs and then implant the already-fertilized eggs into the recipient's uterus. Usually, the egg donor's role is complete after she's donated the eggs. She has no other role in the fertilization or impregnation process.
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Suppression
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As part of the egg donation process, the egg donor usually takes a medication to stop her menstrual cycle temporarily and make her ovaries stop their normal work for a period of time. The medication can cause vaginal dryness, breast tenderness, headaches and body soreness. Some woman may also experience hot flashes, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, vision problems and changes in mood.
Egg Production
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Egg donors receive another type of medications to stimulate egg production. These medications are injected into the donor's body and consist of high doses of hormones the female normally produces. Side effects of these medicines include soreness at the injection site, mood swings and breast tenderness. Some women's ovaries may become overstimulated and swollen. In mild cases, this complication may be accompanied by fluid retention, pressure and pain in the abdomen. In severe cases, blood clots and a buildup of fluid in the lungs may result. Shock and kidney failure are risks in the most severe cases.
Donor Pregnancy Risk
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Though an egg donor is planning to donate her eggs, she can become pregnant if she has unprotected intercourse before the eggs are retrieved from her ovaries. This risk may remain after egg retrieval if the doctor cannot remove all of the eggs for some reason. Since medication used to stimulate the ovaries results in the production of multiple eggs, the egg donor could become pregnant with more than one child.
Egg Retrieval
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Doctors use a procedure called transvaginal ovarian aspiration to remove eggs from a donor's ovaries. To remove the eggs, a doctor inserts a thin needle into each ovary and sucks the eggs out. According to USA Today, more than 10 eggs may be retrieved during this process. Risks of egg retrieval include bleeding and bowel and bladder puncture. Blood vessel damage could occur as well. In rare cases, the pelvic organs may be seriously damaged or dangerous internal bleeding may occur.
Long-Term Risks
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No one is sure about the long-terms risks of using fertility drugs, such as those required for egg donation. According to the New York State Department of Health, there may be a link between ovarian cancer and fertility drugs. If you are unsure or worried about the risks, speak to a physician you trust before agreeing to become a donor.
References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Glow Mama
