Former Egg Donor Undergoing IVF

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Thursday, July 3, 2014

Does Egg Donation Affect My Future Fertility?


Q: If I donate my eggs, does it affect my future fertility? 

( I get this question so many times in my email, that I decided to publicly post my response for all to view. If you are a skim-reader, at least read the wording in red). 

A: Truth is, there are no long term studies showing the after effects of egg donation. So don't accept their guarantees that there are no consequences to your fertility.  Per my previous four donations, I was always told by my  agency and IVF doctors that there was absolutely no risk to my own fertility. After befriending many other egg donors, and completing my first year in medical school, I have come to the devastating realization that it is very possible that my previous  four donations have put me at increased risk of cancer and reducing my ovarian reserve. Some of my egg donor friends have actually gone into early menopause before the age of 30, likely caused by egg donation. 

For a long time, I couldn't wrap my head around my agency and IVF doctors constantly reassuring me that I was not putting my body in any sort of danger. Since then, I have realized that I was a very trusting and naive individual. I also was not a medical student back then either. Of course I shouldn't put all my faith into those people who are using my body as an egg vending machine. I was merely another check in the bank! I want to believe that my original agency whom I had done 3 cycles with, really did not know that it did in fact take a major toll on their donors. Recently, I was asked by them to do a fifth donation. However, I denied the offer. I am no longer willing to donate. Partially because of what I have learned in medical school, partially because of my nightmare experience with another agency I worked with on my fourth cycle, and partially because of I am on new medications that disallows me to be a donor anymore. I hope potential donors reading this takes consideration of the serious health risks you take on as an egg donor. 


When girls ask me about whether I would recommend egg donation, I am unable to really give a straight answer. Instead, I like to tell them what I know medically behind the process, and the possible consequences. I also tell them about my first 3 donations, and how wonderful my agency treated me. In 2 of those 3 donations with them, I was put in the best hotels, and taken care of very well by them. During one of the donations, one of the hotels was pretty bad, and in a sketchy part of town. I was not sure if it was because the cost of living was higher in this area... or what, but that was my last donation with that agency.  


If you have any more questions as a potential donor, donor, or intended parent, please tweet or email me! The best way to contact me is on Twitter