For couples with difficulty conceiving naturally, egg donors are saviours, as they help them experience the joy of becoming parents. Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) have existed for over 50 years. But despite that, many myths and misconceptions surround the processes. Egg donation is one such ART process that continues to have many misconceptions.
Let’s take a quick look at the egg donation process and get a few of the common egg donation myths debunked!
Before you delve into some of the common egg donation myths, it is important to know basic information about what egg donation is and the process that is followed.
The fertilisation process typically requires the presence of healthy eggs. The absence of healthy eggs can drastically reduce the chance of conception. In such cases, the process of egg donation can be adopted. This procedure involves a donor woman providing her eggs to a recipient woman who is unable to conceive naturally. This process gives couples a high probability of having a child.
Typically, this ART process is adopted by a woman who has had multiple failed IVF cycles or by women who have no viable eggs for medical reasons or because of age. After the couple decides to choose egg donation as a way of conception, they look for an egg donor. Prospective parents typically look for a match with the same physical characteristics and ethnicity as the recipient. It is important to know that the egg donor and the intended mother need not be of the same blood type.
After the egg donor is chosen and certified medically as viable, the IVF process begins. The donor takes hormone injections to help the process of egg production. These eggs last for a month, after which the donor loses the eggs. Once it is time for egg retrieval, the eggs are removed from the egg follicles under anaesthesia in an operating room. The eggs are then fused with the sperm, and the embryos are left to develop in a lab. The embryo is injected into the recipient mother on the fifth day. The extra embryos do not expire after they are frozen.
Despite being a clear-cut process, several misconceptions have been noted regarding the egg donation process. Given below are some of the most typical myths that have been circulating for years:
A female infant is born with a reserve of roughly 1 million eggs. By the time she begins the menstrual cycle, these reduce to about 4,00,000. Among these, only 400-500 eggs will mature and become viable. Every month, she loses about 10 to 20 eggs. When she becomes a donor and gets hormone therapy to enable eggs to mature, the same amount of eggs are removed that would have been shed by the body anyway. A donor will still have the same number of eggs she would have every month after the eggs are harvested. So, donating eggs does not make the donor infertile in any way.
One of the most common misconceptions about having a baby via egg donation and ART is the role of the intended mother in childbirth. While the sperm DNA and egg undoubtedly contribute to a child's characteristics, recent research on epigenetics suggests that the womb plays a crucial role in influencing a fetus's DNA. Consequently, this will influence the baby’s intellect, personality and neurodevelopment. So, there is no denying the role played by the intended mother.
Another myth people believe is that the process of egg retrieval is painful. However, as mentioned earlier, the retrieval process is done in sedation and hence is not painful. Only mild cramping or discomfort is reported after the procedure. Over-the-counter painkillers are more than enough to overcome this discomfort. Some egg donors may feel nausea, cramping, bloating, etc., because of the hormone injections given before the retrieving process.
Egg donation is a time-limited commitment. From the start to the finish, it may take about 3 to 6 months at the most. During this time, you may have to give up a couple of days of work for the retrieval. The rest of the appointments take place as per the donor’s schedule. The retrieval process is simple and does not require any incision. It takes less than half an hour, after which you can return to your daily activities.
It is true that financial compensation is an important aspect of egg donation, and there’s a valid reason behind this. Anyone who is involved in fertility treatments that need energy, time off from work for appointments, blood work, check-ups and hormone injections will understand that compensation in some form is warranted. However, most donor women donate eggs because they empathise with women who struggle to conceive. Many feel that their unused eggs might do some good, and others who are already mothers know how precious it is to give birth to a baby. These women are helping other women who can’t conceive realise their dream of having a child can be made true. While compensation plays a major role, many donors do not do it only for money.
Additionally, egg donors are carefully screened to understand if it is being done only for money and such donors are not used. If you're considering becoming an egg donor, don't feel guilty about the money you receive. Remember that you're providing a valuable service to a couple struggling to have a child of their own, and the true worth of this service is immeasurable.
Egg donation is a confidential and anonymous process. The egg recipients will not know anything about the donor other than genetic and medical information that is needed for the child’s well-being. So parents choose donor eggs that match their interests and genetic profile with no interaction between the donor and the recipient.
How common is egg donation in India? Egg donation is becoming popular in India and has a high success rate. The success rates of frozen embryos are comparable to those of fresh embryos. So whether you choose frozen embryo or fresh embryo transfer, the results are the same. The good news for those opting for frozen embryos is that if the transfer is not successful the first time, there is access to backup. The success rate of the first embryo transfer is 66% so the frozen embryo can be used for the second child in the future. The use of a donor egg after a biological child due to medical reasons also has a high success rate.
Thanks to the donors who allow their healthy eggs to be harvested, countless childless couples facing fertility challenges have been able to start families. Don’t allow misconceptions to come in the way of donating or receiving eggs and affect fertility care. If you have any doubts about the process, consult a qualified medical practitioner who can help shed some light on this subject.
There are only temporary side effects, such as discomfort during egg retrieval, bloating, and mood swings.
The three main known causes of failed egg donor transfers are the endometrium and the blood flow, immunology, and embryo.
No. Most people don’t regret it as the couple gets to become parents.
Concerns like commercialisation, donor compensation, donor rights, etc., can create ethical problems.
