Surrogate Mothers Online Q & A: i am a 33 year old university professor, never married, in excellent health, and i am seriously considering egg donation. in fact, i have already done the paper work with one organization and have several inquiries into my file. before doing this, i really want an "inside" look at the process and have an number of questions. i am curious about both the physical & emotional nature of this process. although i want to have children one day, i am not at all sure as to whether or not i will--i feel that my eggs are "going to waste" in the meantime and would love to help a couple build a family. i have other thoughts and reasons for desiring this, but overall, feel very strongly compelled to do this. i would appreciate hearing from you. thanks! - <a href="mailto:CKIESINGER@AOL.COM ">christine</a> in TX

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Surrogate Mothers Online Q & A

Q & A: Typical Requirements & Screening - Egg Donation

Topics may include typical requirements for becoming an egg donor, the screening process, qualities to look for in an egg donor/IP via egg donation, etc.

5. i am a 33 year old university professor, never married, in excellent health, and i am seriously considering egg donation. in fact, i have already done the paper work with one organization and have several inquiries into my file. before doing this, i really want an "inside" look at the process and have an number of questions. i am curious about both the physical & emotional nature of this process. although i want to have children one day, i am not at all sure as to whether or not i will--i feel that my eggs are "going to waste" in the meantime and would love to help a couple build a family. i have other thoughts and reasons for desiring this, but overall, feel very strongly compelled to do this. i would appreciate hearing from you. thanks! - christine in TX - Top

Christine,

I understand your feeling about "your eggs going to waste" and why not give them to someone and help them have a family. However, not ever having given birth, I personally don't think it's a good idea for a few reasons. (and these are just my personal opinions).

1. the medications involved don't have enough testing as to what it does to your own fertility and reproductive chances. What if a few years down the road, after you have donated and a child or children have been produced from your donation, you decide you want to try and conceive yourself. Only to find you are infertile, and are told it could be from the medications you took as
a donor?

2. since you don't have children, your fertility isn't known. The medications and procedures are very expensive, and you may not respond well. That is going to be alot of wasted money, and heartache for the couple trying for a child. Also, since not having any children, how will you really feel emotionally and psychologically knowing there is a child out there that is
your biological offspring?

There are alot of factors involved when donating. Really ask yourself if this is something you will be able to follow through on. There are agencies and clinics that will not accept women who are not already mothers, but there are those who do.

Good luck to you.

Tracie - Updated: February 17, 2000
Topics may include typical requirements for becoming an egg donor, the screening process, qualities to look for in an egg donor/IP via egg donation, etc.

5. i am a 33 year old university professor, never married, in excellent health, and i am seriously considering egg donation. in fact, i have already done the paper work with one organization and have several inquiries into my file. before doing this, i really want an "inside" look at the process and have an number of questions. i am curious about both the physical & emotional nature of this process. although i want to have children one day, i am not at all sure as to whether or not i will--i feel that my eggs are "going to waste" in the meantime and would love to help a couple build a family. i have other thoughts and reasons for desiring this, but overall, feel very strongly compelled to do this. i would appreciate hearing from you. thanks! - christine in TX - Top: Christine,

I understand your feeling about "your eggs going to waste" and why not give them to someone and help them have a family. However, not ever having given birth, I personally don't think it's a good idea for a few reasons. (and these are just my personal opinions).

1. the medications involved don't have enough testing as to what it does to your own fertility and reproductive chances. What if a few years down the road, after you have donated and a child or children have been produced from your donation, you decide you want to try and conceive yourself. Only to find you are infertile, and are told it could be from the medications you took as
a donor?

2. since you don't have children, your fertility isn't known. The medications and procedures are very expensive, and you may not respond well. That is going to be alot of wasted money, and heartache for the couple trying for a child. Also, since not having any children, how will you really feel emotionally and psychologically knowing there is a child out there that is
your biological offspring?

There are alot of factors involved when donating. Really ask yourself if this is something you will be able to follow through on. There are agencies and clinics that will not accept women who are not already mothers, but there are those who do.

Good luck to you.

Tracie - Updated: February 17, 2000

Unless stated otherwise, all responses in the SMO Q&A are courtesy of one or more of the following hosts:

Sherry - Experienced gestational surrogate currently working on her 2nd surrogacy arrangement

Linda - New Mommy to twins born via gestational surrogacy and egg donation

Jennifer S. - Experienced AI surrogate

Lynn - New Mommy to a daughter born via traditional surrogacy

Tracie - 5 time egg donor (triplets, 2 sets of twins and 2 singletons) and 3 time surrogate (2-AI, 1-IVF).

Lisa - Experienced egg donor and previous gestational surrogate currently working on her 2nd surrogacy arrangement (Lisa was our former ED host, prior to July 1999.)
Disclaimer: Responses from SMO Q&A Hosts do not necessarily represent the opinions and ideas of SMO. Neither the Q&A hosts nor SMO guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the responses given here. As such, neither SMO nor the Q&A hosts are responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. Neither SMO nor the Q&A hosts shall be liable or responsible to any person or entity for any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly by the information or ideas contained, suggested, or referenced in these responses.

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