Donor Story: Kiersten

Kiersten is a paralegal from Colorado. She previously studied Biochemistry, and is currently studying for the LSAT in order to apply for law school. Kiersten enjoys reading, writing, and snowboarding in her free time.

Well, since it’s the first time that we’ve met, do you mind just telling me a bit about yourself, your background, where you’re calling from?
Yeah, yeah absolutely! So I think I met you guys basically a year ago, and was kind of interested in the process. I had a friend at work that had gone through an egg donation and she said that it meant a lot to her and she had really had a good experience doing it. So then I kind of looked into it a little bit as well, and so that’s how I found you guys and then started talking to you.

The process was… I feel like it was really simple! I mean you guys were really clear in your instructions and your directions. I was always able to get ahold of Lindsey. So it was a really good experience overall and I felt like you guys were very transparent in what needed to be done and like the steps were very clear, so overall it was a really good experience.

Ok great! And you know before becoming an egg donor, did you have any specific worries or concerns about any part of the process?
My only concern that I was curious about was like if we knew the impacts on my health by taking like – I don’t want to say synthetic, but like synthetic hormones essentially, especially for someone who didn’t necessarily have any conception problems. I wasn’t taking IVF for myself – I was doing it without having underlying struggles, so I was curious if there would be any effects on my health or if there would be anything that I would see pop up from taking that, because other than taking birth control, which again is like synthetic hormones, I haven’t really had to do that.

When I went to the fertility clinic, I was able to ask those questions and they gave me a lot of resources and a lot of studies that they’ve seen, so that was really cool and I learned so much more about that stuff by doing it. So those were really my only concerns. As much I was just curious about the science behind it and like if taking that while you didn’t necessarily need it would have impacts down the line. But I felt after speaking to the clinic and the doctors who obviously, that’s their life work, I felt really comfortable.

Ok great! And was this something that talked to your family or friends about it? Either while you were applying or into the experience?
I did yeah!

Ok great, and what was their kind of reaction when you told them about it?
They thought it was really interesting and they were really supportive of it, because they felt like helping another family was a good thing. I have two kids of my own and I’m a very open communication style, so for me – it obviously depends on the other family as well – but I was very much like I’m open to all of it. If you want to talk to me, you want to do anything, not a problem here. So yeah, I didn’t have any issues with support or anything like that.

And you already touched on the clinic – it sounds like they were good to work with. Do you have any other feedback that you want to share about the clinic?
No, no I just thought they were great to work with, easy to work with. The directions they gave me were clear, they gave me videos on how to do it so it was very easy.

Ok great. And did you experience any sort of discomfort, pain, physical side effects during any part of the process?
No, definitely the longer I went taking the injections, I think I just got more and more bloated in like the area that I was injecting just because I went for like ten or eleven days. So after a while I feel like I felt bad – it wasn’t really pain, more of maybe a discomfort from bloating. And then after the procedure I actually felt really good! I had some soreness like the second day and then I woke up the third day completely fine.

And did you kind of go right back to your regular activities right away?
Yup, yeah! Back to everything like normal!

And can you remind me was this an anonymous, semi-anonymous, open donation if you remember?
I believe mine was open. I don’t remember exactly what the other parents put in the contract – I know we exchanged email addresses. But I put on my side completely open – you wanna contact me, you wanna do this – I’m here.

And did you have any sort of expectations going into the donation and was it pretty much as expected or were there any surprises?
No, no I think everything was as expected. I mean you guys did a really good job as a donation company continuously reminding me of the steps. Because I start the process a year ago, and I’m like told what will happen. But then like you don’t get matched for a while, so then I was matched again and we went over it all again, like the steps. And then halfway through we even kind of went through it again, and so it was good because I feel like you guys kept being really on top of just reminding me. So I felt very prepared. I’ve talked this through three or four times and there wasn’t really anything unexpected.

Ok nice. And I know we are still waiting to get the full results from your cycle, but would you be open to donating again should that be an option?
Yeah, yeah! Totally open to it again. I had a great experience. It really wasn’t a ton of time on my end. The only thing that was time consuming was just traveling to the place you need to travel to, and that was like the one thing. So I would definitely do it again.

Ok great! And for you, what was the best thing of the egg donor experience?
I would say… I have previous experience in the healthcare field, so getting to go to the clinic and see like the vestibules that they put it in and ask the questions and find out like how many eggs they took – that was a really cool experience for me.

I wish maybe in the experience there could’ve been more interaction with the intended parents, but I also think that’s more of a privacy thing and like depending on what they want. So I guess if I could wish there was interaction if they wanted there to be, but I mean overall again it’s harder in their position than it is in mine so I liked the process of going to the clinic and learning what they do if that makes sense.

Yeah, yeah that stuff is super interesting! We actually have one of our case managers who was formerly an embryologist, but now she’s working in case management. But yeah, all of that stuff is so cool!
Yeah, and the genetics stuff was cool too. Because when in your life do you get something like that? Like I’ve never had a full genetic panel, so I was like reading every line and I was so curious and looking stuff up! I thought that was really cool to because like I would’ve never had that about myself if I didn’t do this.

Yeah you get to learn so much about your own body and your health – it’s a very unique experience!
Yeah!

In terms of the compensation, is that something that you’re putting towards specific or just kind of saving up?
Saving up, hoping to one day buy a house if that’s possible!

Yes in this economy best of luck! And I mean you kind of already touched on working with our team, but do you have any more feedback about working with us?
No, no I don’t think so. I mean overall the communication was really good. Lindsey was really always available, so nothing extra! I feel like you guys did a really good job of being consistent in your communication.

And last question, if you had any advice for someone who’s thinking about becoming an egg donor what would it be?
I would say probably don’t overthink it. For me in the beginning I was a little nervous because I was like how much of a commitment is this? Is this going to take up so much time and so much energy? And it really didn’t. It was a good process. The only thing at the end is like you could be in travel for a week, and that’s like the most it is.

So overall, always just ask – even if you have to ask the same question like two or three times just to cement that you know what’s going to happen, do that. Because even like I would ask questions about the process, and then I would ask again like a few months later just to cement it.

Note: this interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.