The NYTimes has an interesting article on the increasing amount people are willing to pay for donor eggs:
A survey published this month in the journal Fertility and Sterility, "What Is Happening to the Price of Eggs?" found that the national average compensation for donors was $4,217. At least one center told the authors of the paper that it paid $15,000. Many centers did not respond.
Though laws prohibit the sale of transplant organs, sperm donors have always received small payments, and prospective parents in the United States are allowed to compensate women for their far greater expenditure of time and energy. (Many countries, including Canada and Britain, do prohibit payments to egg donors.)
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine considers compensation of $5,000 or more to "require justification" and sums exceeding $10,000 "beyond what is appropriate."Meanwhile, advertisements recruiting students from elite universities to donate promise tens of thousands of dollars, and donor agencies have sprung up, appealing to would-be parents with online videos and photo galleries of donors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5,767 babies were born in 2003 from donor eggs; the number of actual egg donations is probably much higher, however, because the success rate is fairly low.
Ethicists and some women's health advocates worry that lucrative payments are enticing young women with credit-card debt and steep tuition bills to sell eggs without seriously evaluating the risks.
"The real issue is whether the money can cloud someone's judgment," said Josephine Johnston, an associate for law and bioethics at the Hastings Center, a research group in Garrison, N.Y., that specializes in medical ethics. She does not oppose compensation, but she does worry about high prices.
"We hear about egg donors being paid enormous amounts of money, $50,000 or $60,000," Ms. Johnston said.
Seriously, when I was an undergrad, it must have been every week that we saw a classified ad in the school paper that read: "Wanted hot, blonde, 6'0", athletic, particle physicist for her eggs. Will spend bagillion dollars." It became kind of a farce because Stanford has a lot of tall, attractive, smart women, but even there this is a tall order. And why always the blondes, I wonder? People should ask for more variety in their purchased children...
Anyway, with respect to the ethics of it, I fall on the side of Canada and Britain with this one. (Ed. My mistake. I misread the article thinking this was legal in Canada and Britain.) The sale of eggs should be a voluntary and unregulated transaction between the donor and the adopting couple.
An adult, properly advised of the health risks, has the right to make decisions about her body even if those decisions involve calculated risks for her health. Furthermore, the increasing prices that people are willing to pay for eggs has merely revealed the system of "not an actual sale, but we give you money for your trouble" for sordid fig leaf it is. People are doing it for the money already. No one wants to admit that, but it's true.
The issue brought up in the article -- the health risks are not entirely known for this procedure and therefore informed consent cannot be granted -- is troubling, but not really the point. Yes, we should do more research to study the health risks. And, yes, in the meantime we do have to tell any donor about all the myriad bad things that can happen to them as a result of this procedure.
However, if she stills wants to do it, it is her call, and no one has the right to question her motives even if they are financial.
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I am 39, healthy, I have 1 beautiful daughter, I am married to the same man for 15 years. I would love to find out how to help people who need eggs. 502-681-8600
We had those ads in my school paper, too. Is it funny that the intellectual qualifications were always listed last? After the blondness and the legginess? Anyway, yes, I remember thinking about the egg selling dilemma...hypothecially, of course, since I'm a few inches shy of six feet. :)
I don't think I'd donate an egg simply because I don't like the thought of one of my offspring out there, running around and being parented by someone other than me.
But is it wrong, egg donating? Nah, I don't think so.
You have it wrong about Canada and Britain's approach to laws governing the sale of human eggs.
Here in Canada, it a serious criminal offense to buy human eggs - although enforcement is lax. See my post, Taxing the black market in Canada for human eggs.
In the UK, egg sales are also illegal. However, donation with compensation (within limits) is permitted. See their Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
I wonder about the implications of studies that seem to show attraction (as a pheromone response) occurring between two immunologically compatible partners. In theory, I imagine new phenotypes resulting from circumventing that system of hormonal triggers, and wonder what demands for change such new phenotypes might exert on our health care system, and how long it would take to map each new metabolome. But then of course I remember that we've been circumventing that 'animal' system in a variety of ways for much of humanity's existence on this planet. So then, concerns turn toward scenarios like Code 46 (Oedipus (recursively)), or Gattaca (systemized mating, controlled centrally), and worse.
Can plausible future scenarios be constructed? Could studies that show attraction (i.e., a pheromone response) occurs between two immunologically compatible partners be applicable? E.g., see SciFi movies 'Code 46' (i.e., Oedipus recursively) and 'Gattaca' (i.e., centrally restricted reproduction via market pressure). Both works are warnings of possible negative futures that might evolve from this type of 'commerce'. Are they reasonable constructions?
I went to Brandeis, where there is a large Jewish population, and the school papers were always completely inundated with ads looking for Jewish egg donors. Whether this is because Judaism is passed on from the mother, or because parents were looking for donors from a similar genetic background to themselves, I don't know, but the compensation promised was always really high (esp. if you had 4 Jewish grandparents). Since the supply of these eggs is so low (given the small percentage of the population that's Jewish, times the small fraction of women who'd be willing to donate eggs) it makes sense for the "price" to skyrocket, but it always struck me as weird.
I am considering selling my eggs. I have had one child and will not be having anymore. Who would I contact about possibly selling them.
Thanks,
Amy
who would i need to contact about selling my eggs im a mother of two and would love to help other women. im 28 years old in great health
would prefer phone contact (270)206-4033 have no internet at this time.
well i want to sale my eggs but dont know how i have two wonderful boyz and husband .i got my tubs tide but we dont have the money to get them fixed to were i can have more kids so im wellin to sale my eggs untell them so let me know some thing please . im 28 years old .and if you need baby pics i got them.
hey ladies and gents, i am a 30 and a mother of two, my husband and i have decided we will not have anymore childern. i am would like to know where i can sell my eggs...thnaks for the help dspalay@yahoo.com
Hi Im intriested in helping someone enjoy the life as a family as I have had the pleasure to do! Please let me know where I can find something in my area or anyone of intrest. I have 3 wounderful and healthy boys and Im 25 years old. My email is fun2bbrandi@hotmail.com
Thank you!
hello, my is Teresa, I would like information about sale my eggs. How and where. thank you all.
Hello, My Name is Teresa Medez, And I would like information about how to sale my eggs.
Hi!
I am desperately seeking a canadian egg donor. PLEASE contact.
little2tree@gmail.com
hi, I am 27, and have a 5 year old daughter, a 3 year old boy and an 8 month old daughter. My husband and I are not planning anymore children and would like to sell my eggs, to help someone enjoy the happiness we are experiencing. If interested please contact me blondelicious@sky.com.
Willing to sell my eggs. Native American and welsh, brown hair, brown eyes, athletic, high IQ, studying pre-med. Also very artistic. Please email for more information; parkeravenue2u@aol.com
I would be willing to sell my eggs. I guess to help. But honestly the money is the thing mainly for us :) I am 27.
I am scottish Canadian. I have entire family tree no main sicknesses. illnesses.. Lived well into there 80's even 90\s
Parents and grandparents still aliive :)
No diseases. Happily married with a beautiful boy! :)
I am short though :) petite 5 1 and 113lbs
BOUS**** Rh negative**** Blood@!!!
geoff_homecare@hotmail.com
hi my name is lashonda i am a black woman age 38 and i have 3 kids of my own no need for no more . I wolud like to sell my eggs . Pease let me know if you would like to hav them. thank you
Hi;
I am interested in selling my eggs :) however I am from Canada and was wondering if there is any way I could still do this?
I have brown hair, hazel eyes and am 5'6"! I have baby pictures :) and did very well in school. Very artistic and it runs in the family. As far back as I can remember there has not been anyone in my family with a deformity or anything like that.
Not sure how this type of thing works usually so if anyone has any information for me that would be greatly appreciated! :)
Hi, i would like to sell my eggs. I have no use for them and would like to help someone else in need of them. Please contact me for details/more information. cordymoore@sbcglobal.net
HI, I WOULD LIKE TO SELL MY EGGS. I AM 40 YEARS OLD MOTHER OF ONE WITH A GRANDCHILD AND HAVE NO INTEREST OF HAVING ANYMORE CHILDREN. I'M RESIDENT OF FLORIDA, VERY HARD WORKER, 5'11 BLK FEMALE VERY NICE PERSONALITY. PLEASE CONTACT ME (shonda0324@gmail.com)FOR MORE DETAILS/INFORMATION.
Hi, I would like to sell my eggs. I am based in London, UK. Please get in touch for more details on eggsfromrebecca@yahoo.co.uk
I would like to sell my eggs. I am a full blown lesbian and don't plan on using my eggs only for my wife but thats no time soon. I'm based in Kissimmee,Fl. email me for more details.
I would like to know about saling my eggs.
I wish to sell my eggs, but do not know who to approach/where to go for this. I would love to help out a family trying to have a baby.
A little bit about me; I am a healthy 24 year old blonde girl living in BC Canada, I have a high IQ, am a well established artist and illustrate for Disney, and have a naturally bubbly personality!
Please contact me at for donating inquiries: morgan.jorgan@gmail.com
it is kinda cool that they found a way to do this but
it is kinda creepy to tell your child that they were hatched from an EGG.