Are there long-term effects of egg donation?

Hello everyone!

I have been accepted as an egg donor here in Virginia Beach, and I’m about to start the stimualation process, but I’ve been reading some stories about women who have already donated their eggs, even women who have done so more than once! Also I must admit that most of them were relieving stories, I’ve also read some others that made me feel a little bit disappointed to be honest, especially when pain or danger are involved 🙁

Can yoiu tell me if there are long-term consequences of egg donation? I mean, effects that may appear after a couple of months after donating your eggs, or even later? Is egg donation worth it?

Thank you in advance and best regards

Dear Jennifer,

Many prospective egg donors and even women who have already been accepted ask themselves questions such as the following: can egg donation cause infertility? Well, the answer is NO, there’s no way egg donation can lead to infertility.

Nonetheless, short-term side effects of egg donation do exist and should be taken into account, such as the possible development of the OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome) due to the use of fertility drugs. Anyway, OHSS generally disappears after a week more or less, so it is not considered to be a severe condition.

Egg donors also have to undergo surgery in order to have their mature eggs removed, something that in a minority of cases leads to complications such as cramping, bleeding and infections, the latter to a lesser extent.

As for long-term side effects, these remain unknown at the moment, which means that, to date, there is no scientific proof that egg donation leads to severe side effects in the woman who donated her eggs in the past.

Probably, the only reaction that can be considered as a long-term effect of egg donation is related to the psychological side of this fertility treatment. We are talking about the concern or even “attachment” to their eggs and/or the potential children conceived with them. Many donors end up willing to meet the child born from her eggs. Some women admit they wouldn’t mind establishing a relationship with the donor-conceived child in the future.

Hope this helps