Egg Donations and the Economy

Lately fertility clinics have noticed that there has been an increase in the number of woman inquiring about donating eggs for couples who have infertility problems. They believe that the increase in donor egg inquiries results from the poor state of the economy. Jobs are hard to find and the cost of living is on the rise, so some women are turning to egg donation as a means to supplement their income.

A woman wishing to donate her eggs, can't just walk in the door of a fertility clinic and hand them over. It's not that easy and requires a commitment of time and energy on the donor's part. Before a potential donor is accepted she must go through a battery of tests including genetic testing, a physiological testing, and physical testing.

According to The Center for Egg Options, once a donor passes the testing and then is selected by a couple, she will begin daily injections (for about three weeks) to stimulate her ovaries into making many eggs. Retrieving the eggs is an out patient procedure but does require the use of general anesthetics.

An egg donor is usually compensated somewhere between five thousand and ten thousand dollars. Ten thousand dollars is the cap that donors are allowed to receive put in place by The American Society of Reproductive Medicine. The money is viewed by many in the industry as compensation for the donor's time and troubles and not viewed as the price for the eggs. While some think that egg donors are only in it for the money, many egg donors say that while the money was an incentive, they also wanted to help a family who could not have children on their own. This especially noted by donors who already have children of their own.

Donors can usually donate eggs six times if they wish and their bodies are still able. The American Society of Reproductive Medicine also suggests that a donor be at least 21 years old.