ACOT Message Board

Could you donate one of your eggs?  What if you had a sister and she asked you to do it?  How about a close friend?

Yea I would..but now my eggs are all dried and gone!

I think it is wonderful when people do this for others...but I could not do it. I would be too attached. I would always feel as if my baby was out there without me...

Oh, I thought you were talking about the woman who called herself my mother. 

As far as I'm concerned - she was an egg donor.   Her maternal instincts stopped once the egg was fertilized.

I agree with Lisa, I couldn't do it either... not without being allowed to be a very close aunty.. and even then, what if my views of raising the child are different than the other parent? I couldn't let go, I would know that that child was meant to be mine.

Ok, seriously,  I think it would be hard.    For one thing, being an egg donor is much more involved than being a sperm donor.    There are hormone treatments that cause some major changes in a women.   If you think PMS is bad - that's nothing compared to what they need to do to get multiple eggs going. 

However, if someone I knew well, and loved very much had no other way of becoming a mother, I'd do it.    Or I would have when I had perky eggs.

Nope

Yes, I could.

Of course I could ....we shed eggs every single month.  Are you guys saying you mourn for "lost children" every time Aunt Flo comes around? 

No... the egg that leaves my body when Auntie comes to town is not a baby to me...but once it was fertilized, I would see it as my baby...the same as my children that I gave birth to...to me it would be like choosing adoption for my baby...Like I said... it is wonderful that women can do this. I just couldn't. I could not separate the "egg" from the baby... ETC...Thank you!

I think if they harvested an unfertilized egg from me, I would totally be able to view that egg as someone else's child should it go on to become fertilized and develop inside someone else.Now being a surrogate mother and feeling the baby grow inside me, even if it wasn't my egg, would be harder for me.

Moody, I DO cry every time I have my period. lol

I think I would do it for some very close and whom I trust.

No.  If someone asked me to do it, I would suggest that they adopt.

Most definitely!  I actually have, and have not regretted it one bit.  It's a very personal decision, and is something I did after much praying, etc.  After going through a personal womanly issue of my own, I all of a sudden felt immense compassion (which is very rare for me) for people who are not able to have kids but really want to.  I wasn't going to do it unless I could meet the couple, know their lifestyle, etc, and I found a wonderful couple who were willing to be very open with me.   It turns out I'm extrememly fertile, I produced 46 eggs for them (the norm is 5-8).  I would have loved to do it again if I could have found another awesome couple, but since I produced so many eggs I had severe complications aftwards and almost lost my ovaries...so anyways, no more donating for me due to my high risk.But like I said, it's a very personal decision, I felt "called" to do it, and love knowing I was able to give a great couple their dream.  I'm not big on charity work, so that was my good act for life.   

Leeanna, Do you mind if I ask - do you ever have a desire to see the child?  

Great question.  They had twin boys in May and I have not seen them, and likely never will, unless they look me up when they are older.  I don't feel it's necessary for me to meet them, I know they are in great hands and it would be easier for everyone if I were not involved while they are young.  Ideally, I would love to meet them, but it's more important to me that their parents do what is emotionally best/easiest for the babies. I don't feel like a part of me is missing either, I feel like I gave a great gift for some amazing parents.  I've always thought it sounded weird when people said they were "called" to do certain things, but I can truly say I was in this instance, and since I was, I have been given a tremendous feeling of peace, ease, and certainty about the whole thing.  It's a strange thing, and probably sounds weird, but everyone feels differently about these kinds of things.   It always makes me smile and puts me in a good mood when I think about it though, I'm so happy for this couple and for the babies who got the wonderful parents. 

Leeanna...I have to commend you for what you did.  What an amazing gift that you gave those parents.  It's probably the most unselfish thing you could do

Leeanna, thank you so much for sharing your experience with us!  I think what you did was a purely selfless act and the joy you brought about is endless, I'm sure!

Leeanna, what an amazing attitude.  

You did a wonderful thing and I am so glad you feel so good about it all.
I admire you.