Ever wondered what it’s like to be an egg donor? Read below to learn more about the egg donation process, common misconceptions, and advice from one of our egg donors of Korean ancestry who is about to complete her fifth cycle with Asian Egg Bank!
How did you hear about us, and why did you choose Asian Egg Bank over other clinics/agencies?
I chose Asian Egg Bank because the staff was friendly, and they were quick to respond to all my questions/concerns.
Did you decide to become an egg donor solely on your own, or did you discuss this decision with your family and friends?
I became an egg donor after I spoke to a friend who is an egg donor with another agency. I briefly brought up the idea of becoming a donor to my immediate family, but they were reasonably concerned that the donation may reduce my ability to have children.
You are about to complete your fifth cycle with us; what prompted you to donate more than once?
The cycle prior to my final donation, I received a heartfelt email from an intended parent who thanked me for being their donor. She and her husband had tried to conceive a child for several years but were unsuccessful. They went to another fertility center prior to Asian Egg Bank but the donor had not produced enough eggs which resulted in a negative outcome for the parents. They said that they came across my donor profile and decided to give IVF treatments another chance. The parent specifically said, “If it can’t be my own eggs, I’m thankful that they are from you”.
What is the donation process like with Asian Egg Bank?
The initial stages of the becoming a donor was lengthy. I recall it took several days to complete the forms because I needed to gather an abundant amount of information about my family and their past medical history. Once the forms were completed, I met with a psychiatrist to have a psychological exam before I became a donor.
Once a family chooses you as their egg donor, you will regularly visit the office for blood work and ultrasounds so that the nurses and doctor can monitor your eggs. You will have to self-inject medications prescribed to you by the doctor until your egg retrieval date for your eggs to grow to an acceptable size. Other ad hoc assignments may be assigned to you as an egg donor including, but not limited to, taking oral birth control pills and COVID tests. A donor reimbursement form will be provided to you to record your miles driven and other expenses incurred during your cycle.
On the day of the egg retrieval, you will return to clinic where a doctor will complete the surgery in house. Once you wake up from the egg retrieval, you will be monitored by a nurse until you feel you are ready to be released from the clinic. The nurse will provide you with the necessary supplies you need for a quick recovery. You will have to have someone pick you up from the clinic after the surgery.
Did you find the injections scary/complicated? Did you do them yourself, or did you have someone else do it for you?
The injections are intimidating at first, however you can have someone else inject your medications for you if you feel like you can’t do it on your own. After several injections, you get used to the idea of self-injection and become comfortable doing it on your own.
How long did it take you to recover from the egg collection procedure? Has it varied per cycle?
I can usually resume my normal day-to-day activities later in the evening. My normal activities meaning walking, cleaning, cooking, working, and studying.
I resume weightlifting within a week if it doesn’t involve bending, twisting, or up and down movements.
What is the best thing about being an egg donor?
Receiving emails from parents thanking me for helping them become parents after several years of trying on their own.
Are there any common misconceptions about egg donation that some women believe that you find untrue?
I think the biggest misconception there is about egg donation is that you will not be able to have children after you donate eggs. This is false. You can still have children after you donate your eggs because being an egg donor doesn’t mean that the clinic is taking all your available eggs.
Do you have any advice for someone interested yet on the fence about becoming an egg donor?
Ask questions! If you’re scared or confused on the procedure, ask the nurses and doctors. The clinic has ALWAYS answered all my questions when I was wary of the procedure. If you have the option, talk to other donors about their journey.
Did you find learning about your fertility and genetic history helpful?
Yes! I thought it was interesting to learn about what exactly the clinic does and how I play a valuable part in their process. Learning about my fertility also helps me to be aware and prepared for when I decide to have my own children.
Are you planning on having kids of your own someday? If so, do you plan on telling your kids about your egg donation experience?
I am planning on having kids of my own in about a year. I will tell my children about the experience because I want my children to help others if and when it’s possible.