There are a lot of misconceptions about egg donation out there, and sometimes it’s hard to tell when doing research what is true and what is not. At AsiaWest, we […]
There are a lot of misconceptions about egg donation out there, and sometimes it’s hard to tell when doing research what is true and what is not. At AsiaWest, we really value educating our donors and making sure they are fully informed when they make the decision to donate their eggs.
Here are some of the most common misconceptions about egg donation, and what is actually behind them:
This is one of the most common misconceptions about egg donation, if not the most common one we hear – it is a very real and understandable concern! However, the current science behind egg donation and women’s fertility does not support this idea.
Women are born with one to two million eggs. Women naturally lose a significant number of eggs as they age, and a woman will never use up all of her eggs anyway. On average, about 10-20 eggs are retrieved from the donor during one donation cycle. Even if a donor completes the maximum number of cycles that we permit (six), there are certainly plenty of eggs leftover should the donor want to have her own children in the future!
There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that IVF causes cancer. The medication the donor is given during the egg donation process is very similar to the hormones produced by the body naturally during menstruation. During each menstrual cycle, follicles (fluid-filled sacs) are produced by the ovaries that contain immature eggs. Usually, only one follicle will develop into a mature egg to be released for ovulation. The IVF medication simply helps the donor’s follicles grow and produce more mature eggs.
Current science does not support the idea that donating eggs can cause infertility. Like any other medical procedure, there are certain side effects that can occur with the egg donation procedure. Possible complications include OHSS, infection, bleeding, and ovarian torsion – however, infertility is not one of them.
On the contrary, all of the egg donors that we accept into our program have altruistic motivations for donating their eggs. Many have friends or family members that have gone through IVF, and/or needed an egg donor at some point. Many have learned about the need for egg donors in school, in science or public health courses, and want to help. There are donors who don’t want children in the future, but want their eggs to be used by a family in need. There are donors who do want children in the future, and want others to be afforded the same opportunity.
Of course, the financial aspect is still an important factor for many egg donors, and we have seen how the compensation can change donors’ lives for the better. However, the idea that egg donors are “only” doing it for the money is not one that is true at our agency.
One of our top priorities at AsiaWest is educating our donors. We want to make sure our donors are fully informed before deciding to help a family through egg donation. Before putting a donor on our database, our donor coordinators have a 90 minute Zoom meeting with her to go over every aspect of the process, future implications, and the requirements for being an egg donor. We make sure that the donor has the support she needs in her life to make this decision, and that she is committed and fully aware of what being an egg donor means.
It is natural to have concerns or fears surrounding egg donation. There are a lot of things said about egg donation on the internet that are misleading or confusing. Being an egg donor can be a beautiful and fulfilling thing – it is just important to do your research before making that commitment.
If you are interested in applying to be an egg donor with us, click here.