Surrogate Mothers Online Q & A: Hi. I'm considering being an egg donor for a couple unable to have a child. I'm young and quite healthy and I seem to fit their qualifications. My question is: I'm certain I'm very healthy and have no diseases, but what if I discover down the road (a year or two) that I have a certain disease and may have passed it on to the child through my eggs? What's the likelyhood of that happening and can I be held legally and/or financially responsible for the child's health or medical bills? Also, I'm wondering about compensation. I've seen ads offering egg donors anywhere from 2 to 6 thousand dollars. What's an appropriate reimbursement?

Please help support this site by visiting our sponsor!

Surrogate Mothers Online Q & A

Q & A: Medical Issues - Egg Donation

Topics may include the risks involved in egg donation, side effects from meds, questions about protocol, etc.

7. Hi. I'm considering being an egg donor for a couple unable to have a child. I'm young and quite healthy and I seem to fit their qualifications. My question is: I'm certain I'm very healthy and have no diseases, but what if I discover down the road (a year or two) that I have a certain disease and may have passed it on to the child through my eggs? What's the likelyhood of that happening and can I be held legally and/or financially responsible for the child's health or medical bills? Also, I'm wondering about compensation. I've seen ads offering egg donors anywhere from 2 to 6 thousand dollars. What's an appropriate reimbursement? - Elizabeth - Top

Dear Elizabeth,

When you are screened for being an egg donor, your family history is scrutinized by both the agency and the Intended Parents. Some of the blood work will also reveal certain ethic disorders that could be genetically passed down as well.

As far as something cropping up in the future, there is no way you, or anyone else could have prior knowledge. I would recommend notifying the agency if you do happen to have some sort of illness later on(or your children) to better protect the child(ren) that you have donated the genetics for.

I have agreed in both my contracts to be available to the egg donor babies in case of intense need (bone marrow, blood, whatever).

In your egg donation contract, you absolve any and all parental rights to the possible babies. If you put a child up for adoption, there is no way you could be held accountable to the health and well being of that child, as the adoptive parents are the legal parents, thus assuming all the responsibility that comes with it.

I am interested in where you have seen fees for 6,000.00 as I have yet to see fees that high(at an agency) I have heard of Ivy league collage students receiving sums upwards of 35,000.00 through private arrangements.

Lisa - Updated: January 21, 2000
Topics may include the risks involved in egg donation, side effects from meds, questions about protocol, etc.

7. Hi. I'm considering being an egg donor for a couple unable to have a child. I'm young and quite healthy and I seem to fit their qualifications. My question is: I'm certain I'm very healthy and have no diseases, but what if I discover down the road (a year or two) that I have a certain disease and may have passed it on to the child through my eggs? What's the likelyhood of that happening and can I be held legally and/or financially responsible for the child's health or medical bills? Also, I'm wondering about compensation. I've seen ads offering egg donors anywhere from 2 to 6 thousand dollars. What's an appropriate reimbursement? - Elizabeth - Top: Dear Elizabeth,

When you are screened for being an egg donor, your family history is scrutinized by both the agency and the Intended Parents. Some of the blood work will also reveal certain ethic disorders that could be genetically passed down as well.

As far as something cropping up in the future, there is no way you, or anyone else could have prior knowledge. I would recommend notifying the agency if you do happen to have some sort of illness later on(or your children) to better protect the child(ren) that you have donated the genetics for.

I have agreed in both my contracts to be available to the egg donor babies in case of intense need (bone marrow, blood, whatever).

In your egg donation contract, you absolve any and all parental rights to the possible babies. If you put a child up for adoption, there is no way you could be held accountable to the health and well being of that child, as the adoptive parents are the legal parents, thus assuming all the responsibility that comes with it.

I am interested in where you have seen fees for 6,000.00 as I have yet to see fees that high(at an agency) I have heard of Ivy league collage students receiving sums upwards of 35,000.00 through private arrangements.

Lisa - Updated: January 21, 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.

Q&A Categories | Search Q&A's | Submit A Question | SMO Home Page