If you are planning to help another person start and grow their family through egg donation, then you might have thought about having your own baby. Even if you are not planning to have a family soon, you do nurture the desire to hold your baby. And, that leads to an obvious question: does egg donation affect your future fertility?
The short answer is, NO!
There is no evidence to show that egg donation affects fertility later in the future. Let’s see what the study says about donating eggs and its impact on future fertility.
A small study from Belgium followed past egg donors for four to five years after the procedure. It revealed that 54 out of 60 these women became pregnant within 12 months of actively trying to conceive, and 3 more conceived within 18 months without requiring any reproductive assistance. The remaining 3 women also got pregnant, albeit after fertility treatment. However, two of them required treatments due to male fertility problems.
Clearly, egg donation poses no risk to your fertility health. But our experience with Egg Donors says, many women still feel worried even after learning these facts. Well, it’s ok to be worried. The egg donation process involves surgical procedures and as you are doing it for the first time – a lot of things are going in your head. The best way to get rid of these confusions is to arm yourself with correct information.
Here are answers to some of the questions we often receive from the Egg Donors.
1. Will donating eggs deplete my egg supply?
This is one of the most common myths flying around about egg donation. And it’s understandable why people are concerned about this.
Normally, your body releases only one egg during natural ovulation. However, it may produce between 10-20 eggs in a cycle when you are donating eggs.
The thing is, each cycle, your body begins to mature about 15 to 20 eggs, which all compete against one another, and only the winner attains ovulation. The others are reabsorbed into the body, having lost their chance of being matured or released.
The key difference between an egg donation cycle and a normal cycle is that your body develops and releases all these eggs at a time. After the donation, you will end up with the same number of eggs remaining in the ovarian reserves as you would have after a normal cycle.
2. Are fertility medications going to affect my hormones in the future?
According to various studies, taking fertility medications does not have any long-term effect on fertility.
These medications only enhance your hormones when you are using them, and they are quickly removed from the body once you quit.
However, it could take a few months before your period returns to normal, but there is no reason to be alarmed.
3. What are the possible complications?
Egg donation is an extremely safe procedure. However, like many other medical procedures, egg donation too comes with its own risks. There are certain symptoms you may observe during an egg donation cycle or following the egg retrieval.
Prior to the egg retrieval, the ovaries are enlarged to their largest point, and this can make you feel full in the abdominal area, which can be referred to as bloating. Another common symptom is mild cramping.
Although rare, there are some complications that can occur during the process. One of them is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). It occurs when the body overreacts to ovarian stimulation medications and can result in cramps and bloating. Its symptoms include
- swollen abdomen
- shortness of breath
- difficulty passing urine
- vomiting and/or nausea.
In extremely rare cases, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome can also cause ovarian torsion. This is a medical condition that results when the ovary twists around the ligaments that hold it in position, leading to severe pain and maybe, damage to the ovary. Ovarian torsion refers to the twisting of the ovary itself, causing a sudden onset of severe pain on either or both sides of the ovary.
Although ovarian torsion does not usually occur, it can develop if the donor fails to stick to the instructions given to her by the doctor or if OHSS is detected late. The affected woman may end up losing the damaged ovary.
The chance of having ovarian torsion during egg donation is very slim (less than 1%), and to further mitigate the risk, your physician will suggest that you go easy on exercise and high-impact activities when you are donating.
At RSMC, we make sure our donors are properly dosed during their cycle to prevent hyperstimulation, especially those with high follicle counts who are at more risk of OHSS. While it is sparse for our donors to develop OHSS, we ensure they know the symptoms in order to get speedy, responsive medical care to avert the severe symptoms.
4. What can I do to prevent complications?
Use the fertility medications according to the doctor’s instructions and maintain open communication regarding how you are feeling, especially in the two weeks preceding and after the egg retrieval procedure. We want to be sure that you are properly taken care of, and it is advised that you stick to the instructions given to you by the clinic.
One of the restrictions we often tell donors to comply with is not to go with rigorous exercises while undergoing the egg donation cycle. This is because any twisting or jarring movements to be belly can make the ovary twist due to its heaviness and can result in loss of the ovary.
It is essential to remember that during an egg donation cycle, donors are more likely to become pregnant in the 2 weeks preceding and after the egg retrieval, because all the follicles are becoming matured at a fast rate. Hence, we advise that you stay away from sex completely during your cycle to prevent unintended pregnancy.
Getting pregnant while going through a donation cycle can also lead to multiple births. Therefore, we recommend that donors who want to conceive after a donation wait for a minimum of one month before trying for a baby.
5. What can I do to preserve my future fertility?
Whether you choose to donate eggs or not, thinking about your future fertility now can improve your odds of becoming pregnant when you are ready. Lifestyle choices are the key to preserving your future fertility, but you can also seek the help of your doctor. Here are some tips that will be helpful to you.
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Stay fit
Your diet and nutrition have a huge impact on your fertility.
Weighing too little or too much weight can make it more difficult for you to become pregnant when you want to. This is because being under or overweight interferes with hormone production in the body, which can affect your ovulation.
Your nutrition is equally important. Studies have shown that trans fats can disrupt the release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation). However, a good balance of healthy fats, protein, and slow-release carbohydrates will make sure your body has all that is needed for reproduction.
Frequent exercise is good for staying fit and reducing stress levels, which are both good for your fertility. But remember not to exercise your body too much. Even if you have a normal BMI, extremely rigorous exercise can stress you up so much that it alters how your body produces hormones.
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Stay away from smoking
Everyone knows that nicotine use is bad for us in a lot of ways, but it is especially bad for fertility.
The cell damage resulting from smoking can extend to the ovaries, damaging your precious eggs. Moreover, it can make you reach menopause earlier than expected, which means zero chances of becoming pregnant.
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Keep caffeine and alcohol use under control
Although coffee and alcohol are not as bad for you as nicotine, they should be taken moderately.
It may seem that binge drinking is a normal part of life when you are in college and your twenties. However, the damage it causes can result in irregular periods.
Coffee is less of a big deal, though, and the studies on its effect on fertility remain unclear. However, there is some evidence that drinking too much caffeine (more than 2 cups per day) can result in complications.
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Monitor your sexual and cervical health
One important thing you can do to preserve your fertility is to practice protected sex and have yourself regularly screened for sexually transmitted infections (STI).
If not treated, STIs can lead to severe issues in the future by blocking your uterine tubes, causing scarring and inflammation, and other serious complications. The worst part is – a lot of sexually transmitted infections that are bad for fertility are quite sneaky. Without any clear symptoms, you may not even be aware that you have got them until the damage has been done.
Fortunately, you can treat or manage most of these infections with an antibiotic or antiviral drug. Hence, get yourself tested!
If you are below 26, ensure that you get vaccinated for human papillomavirus to save yourself from cervical cancer. Moreover, women should regularly visit their doctors for pap tests.
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Go for a fertility check-up
Knowledge is very important. If you are wondering what the time is on your biological clock, fertility testing can offer you an idea of your hormone levels and egg supply. And one advantage of being an Egg Donor is that you get to know all this information for free.
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Consider egg freezing
This option is increasing in popularity amongst young, ambitious women who have great plans scheduled for the future: school, travel, career, relationships, etc.
Having your eggs frozen now that you are at the peak of your fertility, allows you to preserve your fertility for future. The younger the eggs, the better their quality, and better quality eggs have higher success rates. Although there are no guarantees, egg freezing is a great way of improving your chances of conception when you are older.
Note: The process of egg freezing is exactly the same as that of egg donation. So, you know what to look forward to if you have already donated eggs. If you think egg freezing is costly, think again. You can use the money you get from donating eggs to pay the costs or consider a payment plan. Although it may seem expensive, egg-freezing is a lot more affordable than you might think!
Conclusion
Although egg donation does not affect your fertility in the future, it’s good to research all the pros and cons that come with it. But remember, that there are several complex causes of infertility. If an Egg Donor finds it difficult to conceive in later life, consider consulting a fertility doctor before holding egg donation responsible.
We hope the above piece was able to answer your questions regarding your health and future! It is important to be concerned about self-care.
Donating eggs to a family dealing with infertility is a big compassionate act, so do not forget to be kind to yourself too! If you are ready to stand out and give the gift of life, fill out an application, and see if you qualify to become an Egg Donor.
