Have you ever been curious about donating your eggs? Or are you already convinced about becoming an egg donor?
We would really love to take this opportunity to share with you why our beloved recipients desperately need egg donor angels like yourself.
What Actually Causes Infertility?
There are a many causes of infertility such as genetics or age. However other causes could be:
- Women whose ovaries have been surgically removed for one reason or another
- Women who have undergone chemotherapy and find their ovaries aren’t functioning correctly
- Women who have been through early menopause or have poor ovarian reserves
- Women who fail to fall pregnant after repeated IVF treatments or do not respond to the drugs used in IVF treatment
A woman may be more than capable of carrying to term, but she might have a problem with her eggs or her ovaries that prevent her from falling pregnant. Sometimes, there could be multiple issues affecting a woman’s fertility. And most frustratingly for others, there is no explanation at all.
The decision to use donor eggs is often a last resort, after a woman has experienced miscarriages and or failed attempts to fall pregnant using her own eggs. For many, who choose IVF with donor eggs, it’s a difficult decision that comes after a long (and often heartbreaking) journey.
Age And The Effect On Egg Quality
Women who are in their 30’s more than likely endure endless questions from their Aunts, Grannies and sundry all asking when they will be providing them with a niece, nephew or grandchild! And of course alongside that, the flippant comments that follow, about how fertility decreases the older they get! No pressure then, right? But who is to say these women have not tried to fall pregnant, and have come to realise that they now cannot conceive naturally for whatever reason?
On top of that society tends to judge women who choose to have children at a later stage in their lives. But life is complicated, and it isn’t always as straightforward as living the expected white-picket-fence life with a full house of kids, living happily ever after!
Women nowadays are more career-orientated than ever before. More women are only finding the right partners later in life. More women feel they need to delay having children until they are financially and emotionally ready. Women have more life choices now than ever before – which, yes, is a wonderful thing! BUT, with this new found independence, women are becoming mothers in their late 30’s and 40’s. And often this is when they need assistance from egg donor angels!
And while it is true that as a woman get older, there is a reduction in the number and quality of eggs in the ovaries, A baby girl has +- 500 000 eggs at birth and by menopause, the quality has deteriorated. Older eggs also have a higher chance of chromosomal abnormalities, which increases the chances of early miscarriage.
Ovarian Conditions
Ovarian conditions in women can mean that the choice of being a mother (at any age) is not even an option, because of problems affecting their ovaries or their eggs. Approximately 1% of women suffer from Premature Ovarian Failure. POF is when a woman’s ovaries stop functioning and their egg supply depletes sooner than expected. Another major factor that impacts a woman’s egg supply is cancer treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery can harm the ovaries and other reproductive organs, decreasing fertility potential. Often, donated eggs may be a cancer survivor’s only hope of becoming a mother.
Genetic Disorders
Genetic conditions in women may mean that using their own eggs will never be a possibility and this can be a devastating prognosis at first. Chromosomal issues result in non-viable embryos, terminal birth defects, and miscarriages. Often, in these situations, women who so desperately want to carry a baby and become mothers, have only egg donation as their last option.
LGBT Family Dreams
Female infertility is not the only reason egg donors are needed. There are other families in search of egg donors, such as our incredible LGBT community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender). Society has thankfully changed dramatically over the past decade, and with these changing attitudes, LGBT families are finally the norm and how grateful we are for this!
The LGBT family path, however, is a long and complicated journey as many couples still face discrimination when it comes to raising families. Surrogacy with donor eggs is a way for the LGBT community to have children and build families with a genetic connection.
As an egg donor, you have a gift that keeps on giving and for which insurmountable number of people will be eternally grateful. In a world where true love no longer needs to be conditioned or defined by the “old” or “traditional” ways or values, which have always been forced upon us over the decades – egg donors are the bearers of precious gifts of love…unconditional love at that.
So as you consider donating your eggs, take a moment to consider that your generous act will invariably touch someone’s life forever including yours.
Love DESA x
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