I personally belive that if a couple can't conceive, there's probably a health reason why and I don't think it's a good idea to mess with that. I also think there are already too many children who need homes and adoption is a better option.

I think that the hormone treatments that the donors endure can make them sick and retrieving the eggs can be painful.

There was an ad a few years ago running in newspapers, including college papers, looking for very tall college women with high SATS to donate their eggs for tons of money. They had very specific requirements which I forget.

Dammit! Why did I not take the SATs! I could be retired by now. ;)

Well first we'd have to assume that you had some redeeming quality a mother would want in a child before we could assume your eggs were worth more than the eggs from another woman in a different location.

The hormone treatments used for egg retrieval do have a host of side effects (same one is used for egg donation, IVF, etc etc) Most of them are more of an inconvenience than anything else - mild nausea, headache, drastic mood changes for a few days. The biggest risk is the surgical retrieval itself, in that it requires general anesthesia.

<slight hijak>
Re: GP's comment on costs of fertility Tx vs adoption:
Actually, infertility treatment is far less expensive than adoption, on average. Out-of-pocket costs (assuming insurance wont' cover it) for the average infertility treatment is about $10K, while adoption ranges anywhere from $20-25K - inside the USA. Ironically enough, most health insurance providers will cover infertility to some extent, but not adoption. :confused:
</slight hijak>

--add

Clearly it would be my ACT scores, LSAT scores, the fact that I attend a prominent Jesuit university, I am of the most prestigious heritage imaginable, I am of above-average height for a female, and of course my winning good looks and charm.

But how many people actually have success on the first round of infertility treatments? I've known several people who have gone through many rounds, to no avail.

On the actual topic of this thread... yes it sounds like a lot of money, but for what you're going through to get it it may not be worth it. You'll have to pay tax on that money (well, you're supposed to).

Is there any evidence of the hormones and everything used for a donor possibly affecting their future ability to have kids or causing other health risks?


There are a lot of other things you can do to get money. There's a place near my school that does pharmaceutical testing, for women mostly skin creams... you stay there for a weekend, they feed you, rent you movies, do homework, all kinds of stuff,a nd you get over $200. I did an allergy medication study and got about $900.

But as kddani stated, how often does the first round of treatment work?

I never said it was $10K per round. I said $10K PER AVERAGE TREATMENT - which can be several rounds.
Average includes IVF, but there is much more to fertility treatment than that. There is a very broad range, most of which are less expensive than IVF.

I'm actually going through infertility workup at this moment ladies, this is the voice of experience.
</hijak ended?>

--add

I'm not sure where you're getting your figures on adoption from. The majority of statistics I've seen quoted place the average cost at $10-15,000. $25,000 is at the high end of the range.

From my own research, in discussing with adoption lawyers, state agencies, and international adoption agencies.

</is the hijak going to end?>

--add

I wish you the best!

Adoptions are expensive and so are fertility treatments. I know people who have spent up to $50,000 on international adoptions and far less on fertility treatments.

I wasn't the one who hijacked it, and I think it's an interesting point of discussion. What's wrong with talking about it?

Here is a fairly valid source stating that the average cost for a domestic adoption is $10-15,000:

http://naic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/s_cost/s_costb.cfm

Of course, international adoptions cost may be slightly higher. And, as this is an average, your mileage may vary.


ETA: Even if adoptions are more expensive, you have to factor in the addition costs of pregnancy into the equation. For example, giving birth -- a one-day hospital stay might be $2500 or far more if you have a c-section. This is not something you would pay for with an adoption.

Nothing's wrong w/ talking about it, if no one else on the thread minds. I just threw in 2 cents from my own experience, without realizing how interested people might be in it, and we all know how snotty people can be occasionally if a thread gets off track.

I'm glad you found that source. I wish the numbers quoted applied to my situation, but they don't.

--add

ETA:
True - but these costs are almost always covered by health insurance, thus no or very little out-of-pocket - just like infertility is in my case. As I said before, adoption expenses are never covered by any insurance.

[hijack]It depends on the type of treatment and the type of infertility a woman (or man) is dealing with.

If it's an issue with the woman not ovulating due to PCOS or producing enough progestrone to sustain a pregnancy, the couple can often become sucessful within 1-3 rounds of hormone therapy via Clomid, Metformin or progestrone supplements costing maybe a few hundred dollars out-of-pocket.

If that type of hormone therapy isn't successful, then the couple can choose to move on to injectibles or IUI, which may cost up to $1-2K out-of-pocket. Again, most couples are successful within 1-2 rounds of treatment.

If that type of treatment doesn't work, then the couple may move on to IVF. Dependent on which state they live and their insurance coverage, couples may pay $3-7K for IVF and are quite often successful on the first attempt. [/hijack]

Back on topic...

While I think donor eggs are a wonderful option for those couples who choose that route (same for donor sperm or surrogate mothers) I don't think it's something I'd be comfortable doing personally unless it was for a sister or a very very close friend.

I have quite a few good friends who are struggling with various types of infertility right now. The desire to have biological children of their own is so strong, they are willing to try anything for a few more years and will only pursue adoption if there are no other alternatives for them. Adoption can be just as costly and time-consuming as attempting various fertility treatments, and adoptions can fail as well if the birth mother decides to keep her child after its born.

A couple's decision to either go through fertility treatments or to adopt a child is a very difficult and personal choice. Only they have the right to say what is best for them.

ETA: the numbers I provided are from my friends' experiences.