Egg Donation and its Effects on Women

Since then, humanity has been fascinated with the idea of procreation. It is undeniable that technology has advanced dramatically over the last two to three decades. Many people, especially women, have experimented with technology to develop new and advanced methods of procreation in order to save the human race. While it is clear that not all women want to have children, others see this as a life-changing experience and would go to great lengths to do it. However, some women in society are unable to bear children due to infertility problems and other conditions that prevent them from conceiving. Before the introduction of modern methods of procreation, adoption was the only option available to women who wanted to have children.

In this regard, the introduction of modern methods of procreation such as surrogacy and egg donation came with a lot of relief for individuals who wanted to bear children (Black 134). Since the situation was seen as a win-win to both parties, i.e., the donor and the recipient, the demand for egg donation has drastically upsurge for the past few years (Lew 25). Moreover, egg donation has enhanced the research on stem cell. Hence, most scientists can now be able to understand the development of different diseases through the study of embryonic cells. Although the process of egg donation has aided with stem cell research and many births, recent studies have indicated that most women are at high risk of developing severe complications.

Today, this “business” has grown to be a multi-million sector with most individuals feeling satisfied with the progress so far. The reason for the high level of gratification is predictable; women who have reached menopause age can now conceive a child with just a short procedure. According to the statistics from the multiple surrogacy and egg donor agencies, and CDC, over 47,000 children have been born through egg donation since 1984. Taking into consideration this number, it is clear that indeed egg donation industry has taken a different dimension (Erickson 92). The first successful transfer of a fertilized egg from one human to another was conducted in July 1983 in Los Angeles California, and it resulted in pregnancy. The science of egg donation has revolutionized the outlook and changed the standards of women who were unable to bear children or had genetic disorders in their genes (Fine 45). After the birth of the first egg donation child in 1984, major news outlet covered the event, and most individuals started fueling healthy debates and discussion on this practice. In the long run, it impacted the future of reproduction medicine through the creation of further advancement in women health as seen today. However, what the field has failed to address to the donors is its health complications; hence making many women who have donated their eggs suffer in silence without any legal steps being taken. The individuals that are involved in giving their eggs may develop certain conditions that are extremely dangerous and may cost their lives if treatment is not offered early in advance (Lew 31). Although the science of donating embryos and oocytes has become a common practice among people, its adverse effects are far much reaching than anticipated (Sauer 86).

Since the research on embryonic stem cell, the urge to conceive a child and somatic cell nuclear transfer is poised to expand drastically over the next few years which in return have increased the demand for donors. Whether the eggs are purposely donated for reproductive or research reasons, the risks and suffering are the same (Lew 46). Therefore, there is need to address the issue and help raise the awareness to the donors who do not understand the negative outcomes accompanied by this process.

Risky Drugs

According to a report from Food and Drug Administration, the drugs that used by doctors to inactivate the ovaries before being stimulated can cause serious range of problems, and if it is not attended early enough, it may lead to death. The complications include and not limited to the following; the dilation of blood vessels, depression, fainting, continuous abdominal pain, severe non-inflammatory joint pain, burning sensation, emotional instability among others. Many women who go through egg extraction procedure do not understand that the FDA has not approved the use of certain drugs being used to conduct multiple egg removal since they have severe side effects as listed above (Lew 30).

The drugs that are used to hyperstimulate the eggs have been found to cause adverse effects to the donors. One of the common negative effects of this drug is a condition known as the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Women who experience this state develop cysts, the build-up of massive fluid in the body, and enlarged ovaries. Moreover, OHSS causes clotting disorders, ovarian and damage to the kidney. According to the various trial conducted by FDA, they found that ovarian stimulation is closely associated with pulmonary conditions that are life-threatening (Lew 41). It is vital to note that this situation does not occur immediately after the hormone injection but rather takes place after the ovulation process. Various studies have indicated that there are very few methods of predicting the development of OHSS and it’s almost unavoidable.

Short-term Effects of Egg Donation

Various short-term effects are associated with egg donation particularly when the women are getting the IVF (in vitro fertilization) treatment procedures that create embryos from the ovaries and the sperm (Sher et al. 26). The donors are expected to take daily injections of a drug referred to as gonadotropin that is responsible for releasing a type of hormone that in return "shut" down the donor's eggs by overpowering her reproductive hormones. Soon after this process is complete, the side effects that follow include a continuous sharp stinging pain in the region where it was injected (for some women), abdominal bloating, mood swings, and massive weight gain (Lew 44). The synchronization of the menstrual cycle is followed by a process referred to as ovarian induction which involves the injection of a hormone that has similar adverse effects to the donor.

Effects as a Result of the Harvesting Procedure

Although most physicians do promise the donors that the procedures of harvesting the egg are safe, what they don’t tell them is the adverse effects that are accompanied by this process. Immediately after the stimulation of the ovaries is complete, the retrieval surgery is commenced 36 hours after the woman is injected with human chorionic gonadotropin which triggers the follicles to ovulate. During the extraction procedure, a needle has to be pushed through the birth canal, and thus sometimes it damages the sensitive tissues that are located nearby. Such organs as the ureter may get damaged which in return affects the overall health condition of the donor. Although it is not easy to determine how often such complications may occur, it is completely unacceptable to take chances on the health of an individual without her consent. The women that have been the victim of the errors that may occur during the surgical process, many women have undergone a lot of suffering since most of the time they are not aware of the involved risks and side effects of the procedure.

The medicines administered to the patients in order to handle the pain that may result from the surgical procedure have been found to have adverse effects on some egg donors. Although the effects are rarely recorded, obese egg donors are at high risk of suffering. Some of the major morbidities connected to anesthesia include respiratory failure, heart attack, pulmonary emboli and stroke. Other complications that these women get include difficulty in breathing which most of the time require the “patient” to be intubated.

The trauma applied to the eggs during the retrieval process sometimes causes the body to develop anti-ovary antibodies which imply that the donor can lose her ability to conceive a child in future. According to various studies conducted, it established that individuals who have gone through the oocyte removal have a high prevalence of producing antibodies to ovarian tissue compared to those who have not gone through the procedure. For this reason, the antibodies may interfere with the binding of the sperm and consequent penetration into the oocyte. Thus, most of these women who fall victim to the errors involved suffer in silence as they are not able to bear children yet they were fertile and able to conceive. According to Jennifer et al. (p.480), hyperstimulation of any tissue can cause the malignant cells to transform. An analysis of data from various sources and studies has found that there is a close connection between sex hormones and breast cancer in young women (Schneider 481).

Women who donate eggs are expected to be drawn blood which may affect them in the long run as they are at risk of developing bruises and dizziness. Although the effects are regarded as mild and not life-threatening, some women do suffer as a result of this process. Other effects associated with egg donation on women include the pelvic infection. In most occasions, when the egg is being extracted, an individual may get infected which in return deteriorates his/her health condition, and if the situation is not remedied or noticed early enough, the donor may go through a lot of difficulties. Although the procedure is always conducted in extremely clean conditions treated with antibiotics, there are some reported cases of infection particularly with women who are at high risk. It is not possible to sterilize the birth canal since there is the existence of bacteria which makes it difficult to handle the situation. Infected women may undergo separation and alienation especially when the close members of the family realize that she has pelvic infections as a result of egg donation. The isolation is accompanied by self-denial and guilt.

According to a study conducted on some women, it found that almost one out of every five donors has experienced a sustained psychological trauma as a result of their actions in deciding to have their eggs extracted. Most women find themselves developing a sense of attachment towards their eggs (Guerra-Diaz 340). Although there is no evidence to indicate any potential relationship between the child and the donor in future, the psychological experience they go through each day is enough to show how devastating it is to live knowing your potential child is somewhere living and being raised by other parents. Moreover, the whole donation process is not an experience to feel proud of.

When an individual decides to donate her eggs to be used in the IVF procedure to the women who are incapable of conceiving babies, it involves a very personal decision. However, what the physicians ignore to tell them are the psychological impacts and consequences that are accompanied by her choice. Since there are some reasons why the donor has decided to go on with the procedure, it implies that there are high chances that she might change her mind later when it’s too late; hence may adversely affect her psychologically. The three psychological categories of the ordeal donors go through include the mental aspect of the procedure itself, effects of post-donation psychological adjustment, and the mental point of the donor screening.

The fact that the egg donation procedure is straightforward without any form of counseling department, it increases the psychological vulnerability of the individuals wishing to have their eggs extracted to gain money. The companies just place their advertisement in places where they can get access to a large number of women such as the university newspapers and online platforms. It is obvious that women who are in need of instant cash and particularly the young individuals are more likely to make a quick decision without thinking of the consequences. In some situations, a woman can be screened and then be excluded from the donation due to medical reasons. In such a scenario, the donor will go through a psychological distress which requires counseling in order to assure her that she is healthy and can conceive children in future. However, this does not happen because many private recruiters and IPV programs do not offer psychological support to the donors once the screening is through (Lewis 174). Also, in case the testing is successful, and the egg donor is allowed to proceed with the retrieval procedure without considering the psychological side effects that arise from the medication and the extraction process. Moreover, for a minority of donors, there have been reported cases of post-donation effects such as worry and regret for the decision made.

There have been cases of intense bleeding from individuals who have gone through the egg donation procedure. The ovulation hormones induced into an individual’s body in order to stimulate the ovaries is preceded by a sharp pain and consequent growth of cysts. The problem comes when the cysts accidentally break/ rupture releasing blood. In such scenarios, most women require special attention and hospitalization which indeed is a severe ordeal to go through. Taking into consideration the whole retrieval process and the possible consequences accompanied by this procedure, it is clear that these women do not need to go through the ordeal as it brings forth much suffering than benefits.

Women who have gone through the extraction process sometimes are exposed to a condition referred to as ovarian torsion. In this situation, the ovary increases the weight thus become heavy than the stalk can handle. Hence, it results in a twist which in return cut off the blood supply. For this reasons individuals who have donated their eggs are restricted from doing strenuous physical activities. For example, a person who is obese and has undergone the procedure, she will be constrained from lifting any heavy object since it may stimulate the phase. As a result, she will become more obese, and chances of developing other risk factors such as heart attack upsurge; hence increasing her suffering. Although these measures have proven to be effective in controlling ovarian torsion, the donors suffer internally as they are restricted from doing certain activities that are considered to be healthy.

Although various organizations that are benefiting from this “business” of extracting eggs from women are defending their actions, reports from numerous firms indicate otherwise (Morin et al. 26). According to a statement submitted by TAP pharmaceuticals to the FDA in 1998, experts indicated that there was a worrying trend on the health condition of the women who had been administered with Lupron drug that is used on them during the extraction procedure. The researchers stated that almost a third of the donors who had taken Lupron did not "show either partial reversibility" of bone mass within six months after they had withdrawn from the drug (Morin et al. 22). The report further indicated that most of the women had lost over 7.3% of their bone density. Although the report stated that a more comprehensive conclusion could only be made once the long-term effects are studied and evaluated, it is clear that indeed those individuals involved in egg donation do suffer without their realization.

The advancement in technology has revolutionized the field of medicine, and modern methods are being introduced in order to achieve certain milestones that were being seen as impossible some decades ago. Today, egg donation is being used as a foundation by various medical experts in the study of stem cells on how they grow and develop. The issue of procreation has been handled effectively as couples can easily obtain eggs from donors at a reasonable price. Although the women donating the eggs may be satisfied with the “reward” they receive after the retrieval process, they put their overall health at risk as they silently suffer both physically and psychologically. The post-extraction effects are severe, and if the conditions are not handled with care, it may lead to serious problems such as constant seizures, depression, heavy bleeding, and restriction from doing particular activities. All these effects sum up to the suffering of the donors. Although most of the potential long-term side effects have not been proven, the number of individuals who have recorded abnormalities immediately after the extraction is an indication that they suffer in silence. In a concluding remark, taking into consideration the adverse effects caused either by the procedure or the drugs being administered, it will be a justified argument to indicate that these women goes through severe ordeal. Although the process of egg donation has aided with stem cell research and many births, recent studies have suggested that most women are at high risk of developing severe complications.











Works Cited

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