The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

Egg donation: profitable or risky?

According to Watson, the agency health workers could not complete the surgery and take her eggs. Watson was given another shot, one that “had more risks,” she said. After completing the surgery, she woke up with severe stomach pain and swelling. She also gained 25 pounds during the weekend after the surgery.

“Over the weekend, I had retained all of the fluids that I had taken in, plus I was on IV, so I had all of the IV fluid. I was in the hospital for a total of eight days,” Watson said. “That was ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome at its highest.”

According to Dr. Heather Gibson Huddleston, assistant professor and medical director at the center for reproductive health at UCSF, “The risk of severe OHSS that would require a hospitalization is generally quoted at about 1%. We recently had a donor require hospitalization, however this was the first time in over 6 years,” Huddleston said. “There are also surgical risks, such as bleeding from the procedure, however this is also very rare (about 1/1000).  We find that most of our potential donors are quite motivated by the altruistic element of egg donation as well as the compensation.”

Because the process requires egg retrieval to be done by a needle that goes through the vaginal walls, rare but serious complications can include bleeding, required observation in a hospital, a possible blood transfusion and damage to internal organs and infection.

While the risks can be extreme, the money is enticing for many struggling students.

Claudia Valentino, a creative writing major, applied to donate her eggs but got rejected because she was adopted.

“I needed the money to go to school,” Valentino said. “I came as an immigrant and I did not have very much money.”

Alastair K. Smith, director of student health services at SF State, said that students should donate for reasons that go beyond money, such as because they want to help start a family.

“Students shouldn’t donate their eggs because it’s an easy way to solve a financial problem,” Smith said.

While Watson has yet not dealt with any long-term damage, she was advised not to twist her ovaries through heavy exercise because she could develop ovarian torsion, which would compromise her blood supply and cause severe abdominal pain. Watson was warned to stay away from heavy exercise, but ovarian torsion could happen just by walking.

Watson has since learned not to let money be such a ruling force.

“Consider your health, consider how that ripples out to other aspects of your life, friends and family and school and work, and all things that you value in life can be affected by your desire to chase after $8000 and is that worth it?”

Jessica Goss also contributed to this story.

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Egg donation: profitable or risky?