Females selling their eggs? good or bad idea?
 

I'm quite sure there is a thread on this somewhere, but evertime I tried to search it locked up my computer.

So, about a month I was reading ads in the school's newspaper and immediately directed my attention to something that said "$2,0000-3,000"! Then I looked and it was an ad for young women to come donate their eggs.

Now, maybe it was my desireable need for cash. But last time I saw that I thought, "heck no". But this time I thought, "good for those willing to support couples who can't have a baby on their on".

Maybe its b/c I recently became more aware of the past trouble one of my coisins and his wife had been in. They tried for years, and finally adopted a beautiful little girl! But I know my cousin's wife would have liked to have more.

So, just in general..... would you (females) sell your eggs like that? And I guess, men would you like to sell your sperm like that?

I havent' really made up my mind as to whether or not I would actually go through with it. But I'll post my thoughts when they come.

I had a very good friend do this while in college. She, too, answered an ad in the campus paper.

She got paid $3500 for EACH HARVEST. She went through the hormone injections, counseling, whatever whatever once. ...but the fertilization didn't work, so she had to do it all over again. We even through a "HAPPY HARVEST" party for her the day before they took the eggs out.

There are so many things to consider -- am I able to live with the knowledge that somewhere out there there's a child who's half mine? Am I able physically endure the hormone injections, the mood swings, the never-ending PAIN?

That being said, I probably wouldn't unless I was really strapped for cash.

If there was a market for it, sure- but ya know- getting paid for what the vast majority of college guys do- that market is so flooded.

You know... part of me would do it because I could really use the cash. But another part of me thinks I wouldn't qualify because I have a disease that can be passed down to my children/eggs. Since I don't really want my kids (or someone else's) to have a 50% more chance to have to go through what I did as a diabetic child, I probably wouldn't be able to do it.

No pun intended?

I'm the same way. Part of me would thinks I would do it if I was desperate for money but then again they probably wouldn't take them because I too am a diabetic. The other part of me hates to think that if I did it, there would be a little part of me around somewhere and that's a little too much for me to handle.

I don't think i could ever do it for reasons already stated. there would be the possibility of several children out there who are biologically mine, and i wouldn't be able to handle that. and then i would wonder what would happen when i go to have kids. what if i couldn't? i couldn't live with the fact that i gave up healthy eggs and there are kids of mine out there when i might not have any of my own.

I've actually requested & received the paper work from the closest clinic to me that would "buy" my eggs (somewhere in Indiana.) There is so much more to just "selling your eggs" than walking into the clinic, having the procedure done, and walking out with cash (as in, that won't happen.) I've been considering doing this for a few reasons, and unlike most people would think, its not for the money. Personally, I don't want children, but am fully able to have children if necessary. And there are people in this world, like my own sister, that couldn't have children of their own. I've told my sister that I would have a baby for her if she would ever wanted me to, because it would be keeping it in the family & it would make her very happy. But there are many women that can't have children, and don't have sisters/friends/etc. to make a similar offer. I'm willing to donate my eggs to these women so that they can bear the gift of life to a healthy baby.

I'd never do it in a million years. Hormones really mess with your body and it seems incredibly unpleasant. Also, and I'm sure this is not a popular opinion, but I personally can't support any type of fertility treatment and would not want to be a part of it.

To me, parenting is about what happens AFTER the kid is born. Not genetics. It wouldn't bother me at all to have a kid who was genetically mine that was being raised by another set of (capable) parents. I'm certainly not capable at this point in my life.


That said, I'm bitchy enough without hormone therapy.

You guys should look in campus newspapers because it seems that there is definitely a price range and I've seen them offer 10 times that if you got to certain schools...

-Rudey

Yes...my eggs are apparently worth much more than Kentucky eggs. Must be all the milk we drink. :)

I wouldn't do it - I'm kind of like valkryie with the fertility treatment issue.

But the completion of the transaction is MUCH more intense for a woman than that of a man.

I'm like crzychx - I would have to know and really care for the person I'd donate eggs to (so much for grammar! :rolleyes: ).

Just curious valkyrie and GeekyPenguin what are your objections to fertility treatments?

I think that if you can't conceive naturally due to medical problems, it's not necessarily the most healthy idea to be shooting your body up with chemicals. I also don't feel like it's the best source of expenditures - women spend tens of thousands of dollars on fertility treatments when they could adopt a child for that much.

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.

Why not get paid for something you do for free every month anyway? :D

Because you need to have a LOT of eggs ready for fertilization at the same time.

The irony of this is that I know a couple who could not conceive, and are on public assistance. The woman was also illiterate.

They were artificially inseminated THREE TIMES - for free, of course! - and are still on public assistance!!! One good thing that did come out of it was that the mother learned to read when her eldest started school.


One of my sisters couldn't conceive - her witchy mother-in-law would call her every Mother's Day to say, "Maybe there'll come a time when we can wish YOU a Happy Mother's Day, too." They eventually found out it was his misfunction, which helped a little, and decided to adopt a foreign child. The orphanage they used did a classic bait and switch on them - they had signed for two sisters, 6 months and 18 months old. But, gosh darn, their mother showed up and they couldn't adopt them after all. Since they weren't leaving without a child, they did adopt another little girl, who is gorgeous. All in all, the final tally was well over $30k - for just the adoption.

only once a month?
You, sir, are more of a man than I can hope to be.

Those ads never stopped running. I see a few every day in the Columbia student newspaper (usually they're requestiong $8,500 and right on up), and occasionally I'll see one in certain magazines. Usually they want a blonde haired, blue eyed woman, 5'7" or taller, with high SAT or other test scores. I've seen a few requesting Jewish or Asian women with good test scores and in excellent health. I very rarely see African-Americans or Latinos being solicited that way.

Regarding price of adoption--doesn't it depend on the circumstances? I read Dan Savage's book on how he and his boyfriend adopted a baby, and in the conclusion he mentioned that it was about $20,000, and that didn't count transportation and other incidental costs (for example, they paid for the birth mother's living expenses those last few months).

Okay, I"m getting confused on everybody mentioning numbers and such.

I guess I feel like I would totally do it, b/c somewhere out there is a loving couple who wants a baby. And maybe this woman wants the ability to actually be pregnant. Ya know? And IF i was in that situation I would want someone to do that for me.

But then the whole hormone shots and whatever scares me. So....idk

I think he might have been talking about how a woman usually ovulates once a month. (Although there are women who ovulate twice a month, some that never ovulate, and some that ovulate irregularly.)

On topic:

No. I don't think I would ever do this for someone I don't know. (Aside from having PCOS and only ovulating once in a bright, blue moon.)

I do understand that there are people out there who would feel comfortable doing this and having biological offspring somewhere out there. That's great.

Personally, when my husband and I decide to have another child (down the road), we will try naturally. (Max was big surprise to the OBGYN who told me I would probably never have children.) If that fails, then we will adopt. We had discussed adoption when we found out I had little chance of ever having kids. So, we would definitely adopt.

[hijack]

We're actually considering becoming foster parents through our church's program. We love kids and can't help but think that we have a loving home that we could share with children who don't know what it's like to have someone to love and protect them.

[/hijack]

From Chickens
 

Yeah, I buy eggs at the grocery store all the time.

Whether you choose to sell your eggs or not is a personal decision. I don't believe that one can say it's a good thing or a bad thing.

For me, it's a non-issue because being a diabetic, I can't sell my eggs anyway.

This is an interesting topic of discussion and I have a few comments.

1. I have actually thought about donating my eggs and in all honesty it was because I a) needed the money and b) have all the eggs I will ever have in my life. Yes, the thought of having a child out there that is partly mine was an issue. But I ended up deciding against it.

2. Fertility treatments: who are we (as a whole, society in general) to say to a woman that she can't go through treatments. The want and need for your own biological child is incredibly strong. I'm not even married but I know when I do get married I will try naturally to conceive but if I can't I will not hesitate to go through fertility treatments because I want to experience pregnancy. To feel your child kick for the first time inside you, would just be amazing. So even though I haven't gone through it I can totally understand why these women are going through what they are going through.

3. Adoption: I think other than the costs one thing that hasn't been said is the difficulties in adopting. Adopting in the United States, from what I've heard, is difficult. They do background checks, credit reports, check your finances, tons and tons of interviews and this isn't even including the costs of going through an adoption. Plus the laws in each state for how long a mother has until she can come back in and claim her child. In one state, it's 6 months. You could get a child and 6 months down the road this mom could come back into the picture and want her child back and you as the adoptive parent have no legal rights and I don't even think you get your money back. So there you've lost your child and the thousands upon thousands you've spent are down the drain. I've heard that adoptions in the US for newborns, 2 year waiting list.

And not to say that international adoption is any cheaper. You have to pay for the airfare. And you ain't just going once you have to go repeatedly. My second cousin recently adopted a little girl from China, they had to go over (from what I heard) 3 times. That is a lot of $$$$ if you are doing roundtrip airfare, hotel accomadations for you and your spouse. Again not even counting the cost of the adoption. This isn't also including the amount "red tape" one has to go through to do a international adoption.


I would actually like to adopt. There are tons of children out there who need good homes, but I want my own biological child also. And I have every right as a person to try to obtain of them.

Now these are just my opinions and my thoughts. I'm not pointing the finger at anyone.

Please just respect my opinion.