There was a time I thought IVF was morally wrong. Now I do have acquaintances who’ve had children via this route and I cannot take a moral stand on their choices, that have brought a beautiful baby into their lives. Just yesterday I watched a video of a young couple who had ‘adopted embryos’ and gave birth to triplets. Their joy and gratitude towards the donor parents was very moving. Today, I hosting Dawn K, a young woman who has chosen to be a donor.
Banking on It: Why I Froze My Eggs For Donation
I’ve always been opinionated, ambitious, and somewhat of a control freak. I work fourteen-hour days and have no plans of slowing down. I don’t have time to get into a relationship, and I’ve always known for sure I don’t want kids, ever. That’s just how I am.
But I did wonder: even if I don’t want to have children of my own, could I help other women who dream of having children?
My answer unexpectedly came from a close friend over our monthly coffee date – I’d totally forgotten she used egg donation to have her beautiful twin girls! She was thrilled at my idea and recommended the same company she had worked with to help get me started.
Over sips of mocha, she told me how Donor Egg Bank USA helps infertile couples – like her and her husband – conceive by providing them with frozen eggs donated from young, healthy women like myself.
I immediately knew it was the right path for me to take.
Why Freeze Your Eggs?
There are many different reasons a woman may choose to freeze her eggs.
For some, like me, they choose to altruistically donate their eggs to give struggling infertile women a chance to have their own baby. When you provide your eggs for donation, so that one day a loving couple can start a family of their own, you’re giving the biggest gift of all. But there are other reasons too.
For others, it’s to safeguard their future fertility and give themselves the option of having kids later. Kind of a “just in case” precaution to make them feel more confident about going after what they want to now versus “someday.” They’re making great strides in their careers, thinking about taking a trip to Bali, and don’t want to worry about not being able to conceive.
Perhaps you wish to wait until you find Mr. Right. Maybe you’re just the kind of girl who likes to err on the side of caution, or circumstances put you in that position. Some women have a history of early onset menopause – others may be facing a tough battle with a disease like cancer, and wish to freeze their eggs to prevent radiation problems.
IVF Success Rates with Frozen Eggs
If you’re concerned about frozen egg IVF success rates, you needn’t be.
Rates of successful conception are now higher than ever! A new technique’s been developed called vitrification, which reduces the risk of egg cells being damaged by ice crystals during freezing and increases their chances of viability. This means that when you are ready to thaw your eggs, they will be in almost exactly the same condition as the day they were frozen. You can feel confident that any otherwise healthy woman who wants to use your donor eggs will be able to conceive a healthy baby.
Fulfilling Another’s Dreams
Many women dream about what it will be like being pregnant one day – how it will feel, what their child will look like, and so on. For women who find out that they will not be able to conceive on their own, the news can feel like a bomb that shatters their world. But thanks to advancements in reproductive technology, your frozen donor eggs make it possible for these women to have their own child. To experience the joy of getting a positive pregnancy test, the ultrasounds, preparing the nursery, and carrying their own baby in their womb.
They’ll give birth to their child and experience motherhood thanks to your decision. They’ll get to fulfill their dreams, change dirty diapers, take strolls in the park with their newborn and generally do everything that comes along with the job!
Empower Yourself
Whether you’re thinking about freezing your eggs for your own personal use, or you wish to donate your eggs to another so she may have her own baby like I did – egg freezing is empowering women on both sides of the coin.
Take control of your life, stop time, take charge over your situation and live the life you want to.
With love,
Dawn K., 26 yrs old
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