Should Women Sell Their Eggs?

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Possible Effects on Health
Ethical Issues
The Pros and Cons of Egg Donation
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

People’s dreams, goals, and life priorities are different; they may dream of a good career, a trip around the world, a big house in the suburbs, a faithful and loving life partner. However, since ancient times, one of the most cherished dreams of a person is to become a parent. Oocyte donation programs are often the last chance to become a mother for those women who, due to problems with health, cannot become pregnant naturally. Egg donation is an effective method of reproductive technologies to combat infertility. In this work, I will consider two articles: “Should young women sell their eggs?” by Donna De La Cruz and “Her Body, My Baby” by Alex Kuczynski. On the basis of the articles, the given paper will discuss the pros and cons of participating in the program and prove that women should be allowed to donate eggs or act as a surrogate if they want.

Possible Effects on Health

Dreaming of holding a newly born baby in the arms, watching the first steps, teaching them to read and master important life values is so inherent in some people that sooner or later all other desires obey the realization of this dream. Unfortunately, not all couples can realize this plan naturally without the help of a doctor. The causes of infertility are different, so when they are diagnosed and then treated, most couples manage to have their own children. However, there are situations when it is impossible to fertilize a woman’s eggs even with the help of the most modern technologies for the treatment of infertility. The problem is that they may simply not exist because of premature ovarian failure or menopause. In some cases, eggs are present but do not mature and fertilize due to some genetic or functional disorder of the ovaries. Fortunately, women who are unable to conceive due to some health problems can receive anonymous and gratuitous help from egg donors.

To understand this process more deeply, it is necessary to discuss egg storage. A woman’s egg cells are already formed when the embryo is just developing in the womb, and their number is enormous – several million. Despite the fact that the number of immature eggs is very large, nature is arranged in such way a that immediately after the birth of a girl, her eggs undergo atresia, in other words, die off. Upon reaching puberty, a girl has “only” 400,000-500,000 eggs in both ovaries. During the reproductive period (from the first menstruation to the last during menopause), women release about 400-500 fully mature and fertilized eggs. The rest, unfortunately, gradually die off and become useless. The ovaries are the organ that is least used rationally throughout life (only 1% is used, the remaining 99% are not involved).

Ethical Issues

By participating in the egg donor program, a woman spends additional 15-30 eggs; it does not lead to significant losses in her natural ovulatory cycle (they would have died anyway). In her article, Donna De La Cruz is raising the issue of the effects the donation may have on the health of a young woman discussing the possible consequences of selling eggs. The author states: “the question is whether the effects of the hormone treatments are contributing to the dying off of the eggs” (De La Cruz 7). The author also states that the donation is possible only for the right reasons, the desire to help, and not for money.

Women who have their eggs of inadequate quality or do not have them at all are implanted with an embryo obtained from a donor egg and a husband’s sperm. Women carry a genetic stepchild, but all rights to the newborn belong to them. In vitro fertilization (IVF) with a donor egg is opposed by Orthodox, Muslims, and Catholics. The Orthodox Church as a whole does not approve of IVF and states that in the sacrament of birth there is no place for a third party. Islam categorically prohibits the use of donor eggs, donor sperm, and the transfer of embryos to a foreign uterus. Believers equate the sale of eggs with the sale of the child itself. They state that sex cells are sacred and unique material that cannot be shared with others. This attitude towards the human body gives rise to an unspoken ban on the sale of eggs and their deficit.

According to the law, donors have no rights to a child who was born as a result of the use of their eggs; they cannot make any claims to those people who used their donor eggs. The binding contracts are concluded with egg donors, according to which, they agree to fulfill all the requirements related to the implementation of the program. They promise not to be interested in the results of the use of their eggs, the birth of children, some kind of personal data of the married couple who turned to them for help. It is sometimes quite difficult for married couples to make a decision to use donor eggs. Some couples decide to use a surrogate mother to give birth to their child because of problems with health. In this case, a woman gestates a foreign embryo to help another woman become a mother. Alex Kuczynski in his article “Her Body, my Baby” provides the story of a woman who applied to a surrogate mother for help (2). She became a happy mother of a boy, notwithstanding that she did not give birth to her child.

The Pros and Cons of Egg Donation

Having studied the material, I defined 5 advantages of being an egg donor:

The donor donates eggs for a woman who, due to reproductive health problems, cannot become pregnant on her own (her body does not produce oocytes or they are of poor quality). It is a noble act and the realization that you have helped someone to become a mother.
Each donor woman undergoes a free comprehensive examination in order for the doctor to rule out contraindications to donation.
A woman does not bear financial costs; a center pays for tests and travel expenses.
A donor gets a decent financial reward. The amount of remuneration depends on the quantity and quality of the oocytes obtained.
One can participate in the program 6 times in a lifetime.

Thus, participation in the egg donation program brings not only moral satisfaction for the good deed but also the opportunity to improve the financial situation due to receiving a decent reward.

Before deciding to become a donor, it is important to consider the pros and cons. One may face the following unpleasant moments:

Participation in the program will take 2-3 months; it depends on the results of the examination and the doctor’s recommendations.
Possible complications:

hyperstimulation of the ovaries against the background of hormone therapy,
ectopic pregnancy,
complications during ovarian puncture.

The risk of complications is minimized if a donor follows the doctor’s recommendations and prescriptions, do does change the dosage of hormonal drugs, and take them according to the schedule.

Conclusion

In my opinion, concerning the issue of egg donation, there are more advantages than disadvantages to this act. First, it is a noble act, a chance that one can give to another to help become a parent. Second, it is easy to avoid troubles if to address the issue of participation in the egg donation program responsibly. My overall stance is that women should be allowed to donate eggs or act as a surrogate if they want, even if it is primarily for financial reasons. As long as they are aware of all of the health risks involved, it is entirely their choice and nobody can force them to do or not to do that. One the other hand, there is an unequal balance of power and a risk of exploration. However, it is the result of a lack of social safety in the United States, and many women have to sell their eggs and become surrogate mothers for financial support. Unfortunate cases of lack of knowledge or exploitation should not upend the surrogacy and egg donor programs; they should encourage more government intervention, making sure the participants are properly educated and fairly compensated.

Works Cited

De La Cruz, D., “Should Young Women Sell Their Eggs?”The New York Times Magazine, 2016, Web.

Kuczynski, A. “Her Body, My Baby,”The New York Times Magazine, 2008, Web.

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Should Women Sell Their Eggs?

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