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Surrogacy and Egg Donation Q and A


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.

    16. I am a very health-conscious individual and do not take birth control medications of any kind mainly for the reason that I believe your own body should be producing the right amounts of hormones, etc., and that taking birth control pills, for example, somehow upsets your body's normal balance and is unhealthy. I am considering egg donation, and an concerned about the treatment I would potentially receive in this way. Do you have anyideas or comments on this matter? - Amanda from Weed, CA - Top

    Dear Amanda,

    Being an egg donor entails taking a large assortment of hormones for the process to work successfully. Usually, you will be started on either Birth Control Pills and/or Lupron, in the begining phase, which will match you to the recipient. After being this protocal, you will be started on one of the egg stimulating medicines (Gonal-F, Metrodin, Fertinex, Humegon, Pergonal) whatever the RE is using as his protocal. These medicines will trick your body into thinking that not enough of your own natural hormones are being produced, and will make between 10-20 eggs for retrieval.

    Egg Donation may not be for you, if you feel strongly about taking any type of Hormones. Please consider your values and ideas, before moving forward.

    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.


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