Friday, March 03, 2000
Egg donors in demand at fertility center
Some would-be parents use ads
BY TIM BONFIELD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The advertisement from the hopeful parents-to-be took about one-sixth of a page in Thursday's Enquirer.
It featured a drawing of a cherub and the words “Please be our Angel.” The ad was from an unidentified couple seeking a woman to be an anonymous egg donor, compensation to be provided.
The ad was one of the most visible marketing efforts ever taken by a patient involved with Christ Hospital's reproductive center, one of three fertility centers operating in Greater Cincinnati. The ad also reflected the growing popularity — and continuing questions — about the use of high-tech infertility treatments.
“The only thing missing in our life is the love and laughter of children,” the ad states. “If you are a healthy, caring woman between the ages of 21 and 32, you can be the angel that makes our dream come true.”
Last month, pundits nationwide debated the ethics of a Southern California agency offering $100,000 (the highest price made public to date) for the eggs of an athletic young woman — and of the doctors willing to participate. This situation is not that extreme.
In fact, of the 80 couples on Christ Hospital's waiting list for egg donors, three or four at any given time are running some type of marketing campaign, said Dr. Sherif Awadalla.
Efforts have included ads in newspapers and magazines, postings on the Internet, notes in company and church newsletters, even posters on telephone poles.
“The reason we're seeing marketing efforts by patients is we're so backlogged with cases. If a couple does nothing, the waiting time for an egg donor can be a year and a half,” Dr. Awadalla said.
Unlike the big dollar amounts mentioned in national news, the “compensation provided” mentioned in Thursday's ad amounts to $1,200 to $1,500. The money pays for repeated office visits for physical exams, a three-hour psychological test, blood draws, ultrasound exams and a medical procedure to harvest eggs.
“We make it clear that we are not buying eggs,” Dr. Awadalla said.
About 25 percent of patients get donated eggs from a relative or friend. The other 75 percent come from anonymous donors.
Christ Hospital's program acts as the go-between. Would-be parents do not meet would-be egg donors. There is no negotiation of fees. The donor gets a check from the program, based on the work the donor does. The would-be parents get the bill.
It would be difficult to make a living as an egg donor, at least in Cincinnati. Christ Hospital limits would-be donors to a lifetime maximum of three donations; two if they say they still want to bear children.
Egg donors sign a form giving up any custody claims to children that might be born. And a key part of the early testing and counseling is to turn away egg donors who seem likely to be upset they will never meet a child born from one of their eggs.
Would-be parents are informed of several personal factors about the egg donor, including age, height, weight, health condition, race, education, occupation and interests. Technically, the science isn't there — yet — to allow highly detailed trait shopping. Even the idea gets strongly discouraged by most doctors.
“We do get requests for eggs from people with some athletic interest, but we strongly de-emphasize any ideas about getting some type of super-model or perfect person,” Dr. Awadalla said.
In reality, most parents are simply seeking a good chance at a healthy child. The success rate from egg donation is about 50 percent.
“If people were looking for some type of perfect person,” Dr. Awadalla said, “none of us would be around, would we?”
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