More than half of the egg donation treatments in Europe are performed in Spain, making Spain the largest supplier of donor eggs on the entire continent. In addition, thousands of international patients travel to this country every year for private fertility treatment.
The popularity is due to the fact that in Spain every woman and man, regardless of their marital status, sexual orientation or age, can access these treatments. This is in contrast to the situation in many of the patients’ countries of origin, where there are restrictions and prohibitions, particularly in relation to egg donation. In addition, there are usually quite short waiting lists in Spain.
Another factor in favor of this is that in recent years there has been a proliferation of egg banks in Spain, sending eggs from donors around the world as part of a multi-million dollar industry. In this country, about 15,000 women undergo egg retrieval every year. In many cases, the motivation is of an economic nature, because the donors receive around 1,100 euros for a successful cycle. And that means one of the largest economic compensations in all of Europe.
More information
Although there is research indicating that some women claim to donate their eggs for altruistic reasons, very little is known about the donation experience. Most of the time they are invisible. To get a better idea of how the process really works, I interviewed egg donors and doctors and observed various women in fertility clinics.
The reality of egg donation
Egg donation is often described on fertility clinic websites as a quick and easy procedure. But women who want to become an egg donor have to do a lot of preparation before the donation. First, they go through a screening that includes psychological and health questionnaires, as well as gynecological and genetic tests. The potential donors then receive hormone injections for about ten days.
Then we proceed with the retrieval of the oocytes, which consists of a surgical procedure under general anesthesia, in which the oocytes are retrieved through a vaginal ultrasound connected to a needle. It’s a long, uncomfortable, and sometimes painful process. And it comes with medical risks like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which occurs when the ovaries become enlarged and can lead to a number of serious problems like blood clots or bleeding.
Donors may also suffer from drug intolerance or side effects and may be at risk of infection during surgery. Additionally, the long-term risks of egg donation are largely unknown due to the limited number of studies that have been conducted in this area.
After the egg retrieval, clinics recommend resting between 24 and 48 hours, although many donors work the next day or even the same day.
I have also found that the reality of egg donation can bring with it a very busy schedule trying to balance work, study and personal life. To avoid losing income, most of the women I spoke to didn’t interrupt any of their regular activities during their cycle. Instead, they tried to fit everything into their busy lives, which sometimes put their health at risk.
This became particularly clear during egg retrieval. The programming of the procedure depends on the rhythm of the hormone preparations in the body and therefore cannot be decided according to the wishes of the donor. When the eggs are ready to be retrieved, they are, and this can vary from patient to patient. When the donors are ready, they have to give themselves the last injection that will trigger ovulation before surgery the next morning. The result is that although clinics recommend taking a break between 24 and 48 hours after collection, many egg donors work their afternoon shift the next day or even the same day.
Egg donors undergo psychological questionnaires and receive hormone injections. Aleksandr Zubkov (Getty Images)
Payments and Compensation
Compensation for a cycle is usually paid in cash at the end of the process. And it is only insured after the retrieval operation if there are removable oocytes (donors charge the same amount regardless of the number of oocytes). If the pre-collection process has to be interrupted for reasons beyond the donor’s control, such as the drug not having the expected effect on egg production, most clinics do not offer compensation.
When donors undergo retrieval surgery but there are no retrievable eggs, the matter is often discussed between doctors, with significant differences between clinics. If there are indications that the donor missed her last hormone injection or did it at the wrong time, the clinic usually does not pay her anything.
Compensation for a cycle is usually paid in cash at the end of the process, and donors charge the same amount regardless of the number of eggs
If the clinic thinks the donor has followed the rules but ovulated earlier than expected, the rules vary from clinic to clinic: some may pay you in full, some only a partial payment, and others nothing at all. Donors can also be required to reimburse all treatment costs if they stop halfway through the process for non-medical reasons, which most cannot afford.
misinformed women
If side effects or complications occur after the donation, donors are usually referred to the emergency rooms of public hospitals, since private health insurance is not included in the donation contract.
The few studies available in Spain on the experience of egg donors reveal problems and gaps in relation to the information provided to donors and the conditions under which egg donation is carried out. Most of the women I spoke to had no idea how many eggs were retrieved, how many women could be treated with it, or whether it would be used in the clinic, frozen in a bank, or shipped abroad.
It is therefore clear that with the increasing demand for egg donation, there is an urgent need for action to ensure that women in the global egg donation sector are properly informed, cared for and insured in the event of complications and repercussions. secondary.
Anna Molas is a postdoctoral researcher in Health Anthropology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
This article was originally published on The Conversation.
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