Egg Donation - Dangerous and Unregulated

In the world of trying-to-conceive there are plenty of discussions about how to promote the health of developing babies, even if they're conceived through IVF. But if the eggs for IVF are coming from a donor, the mother-to-be and fetus might not be the people at the greatest risk in this situation. 

A new documentary, Eggsploitation, interviews three women who have nearly died because they decided to be egg donors. Egg "donation" is a booming market. Donors are offered thousands of dollars for their eggs - in 2008 it was a $38 million dollar industry.  But when young women agree to sell their eggs, enticed by altruism or cash incentives, they are uninformed and poorly screened.  Donors are treated like a supply source - mined for resources then forgotten - not like patients who have undergone extreme medical procedures, and not nearly enough research has been done for this business to be as widespread as it is.

Case in point, the drugs that egg donors inject are not FDA approved to be used as ovarian hyper-stimulants.  According to this article about the documentary :

"In clinical studies using Pergonal for ovarian hyperstimulation, 2.4-5.5 percent of women developed complications," noted Dr. de Solenni in her testimony. "Similarly, the FDA's data on Lupron, another drug used for ovarian hyperstimulation, records a death rate of .5 percent."

"Complications", huh?  


Calla Papademas, one of the women interviewed in Eggsploitation, suffered "complications".  She was offered over $50,000 for her eggs and so began the procedure in great health, hoping to make some easy money.  In the end, she had brush with death, was in a coma for several days, had a stroke, suffered brain damage and permanent pituitary failure.  The egg collection facility gave her $750 for an uncompleted donation and denied all responsibility. Because she did not complete the donation cycle she is not considered an "egg donor" and so her health problems are not reported with the risks of egg donation.  

Hear her story from her own mouth:

This is seriously messed up. Its appalling that the government has not stepped in to regulate this multi billion dollar industry. If you're considering getting egg donations, ask yourself if its worth putting a young woman's life at risk before you go through with it... 

Pregnancy Misconceptions

Women out there seem to have a lot of misconceptions about their own bodies and the process of pregnancy.  I read around different blogs and articles and see especially a lot of concerns about bleeding during pregnancy, and people wondering if they could have gotten pregnant sometime before their last period.

Well I found a really thorough answer on this blog that I wanted to share. The question was:

"When is it normal to bleed during pregnancy?

When and how much are you suppose to bleed during pregnancy? I know some women bleed at the beginning. I might have had two periods, but I guess I could mistake them for bleeding. I don’t think I am pregnant, but it is possible."

And the best answer was given by contributor "Juzz":

"If you are pregnant, you have probably heard about other women who have their periods during pregnancy. This story seems to cycle throughout the generations and is almost an urban legend now. Everyone seems to know someone who has a friend who got their period during their pregnancy!

Many women can experience episodes of bleeding and spotting during pregnancy. Bleeding is especially common in the first trimester and about 30% of pregnant women experience bleeding during this time. Although fewer women bleed during the second and third trimesters, spotting is still possible and not all that uncommon. However, though this bleeding may resemble menstruation, it actually is something different altogether.

Why You Can’t Get Your Period During Pregnancy
Your period is caused by your menstrual cycle. During this cycle, your body releases hormones, which send signals to your reproductive organs to perform certain actions. An increase in your hormones causes your ovaries to release an egg that travels from your ovaries through your fallopian tubes. Meanwhile, a protective layer of blood and tissue thickens along the walls of your uterus. If this egg is not fertilized, your hormone levels will drop, signaling to your body that it is time to shed the lining that built up in your uterus. This is what causes your period.

During pregnancy, your body is completely focused on providing for your baby. Your brain sends signals to your ovaries to stop the menstrual cycle in order to give your baby the proper environment to grow. As a result, instead of dropping, your hormone levels will continue to rise for the next nine months. This helps your uterus prepare for the growth and nourishment of your baby.

If your body continued to have regular menstrual periods while you were pregnant, it would be shedding the uterine lining that helps nourish your baby every month. Biologically speaking, this wouldn’t make much sense. Therefore, the spotting or bleeding during pregnancy many women experience is caused by something other than their period.

Decidual Bleeding
One of the most common causes of period-like bleeding during pregnancy is called decidual bleeding. Sometimes, during pregnancy, your body’s hormones can get out of whack, causing you to lose parts of the lining of your uterus. This is especially common in the early stages of pregnancy, before the lining has completely attached to the placenta. While it can be troublesome to think about shedding part if your uterine lining, decidual bleeding is generally not thought to be a health threat to you or your baby.

There are a number of other reasons why bleeding during pregnancy may occur. Most of them present little health risk to you and your little one. However, bleeding can sometimes indicate a complication with your pregnancy. If you are pregnant, it is important to be aware of your bleeding. If you experience any abnormal bleeding at any point during your pregnancy, contact your health care provider immediately."

Love it! Couldn't have said it better myself. The summary of it all is "Light bleeding during first trimester = very normal, heavy bleeding or regular period = possible problem or no pregnancy".  Hope that clears things up!