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Dim Economy Drives Women to Donate Eggs for Profit
With a full load of classes, two young children, and her bills piling up, Michelle decided to face her economic straits in a pretty unorthodox way.
She is donating her eggs to an infertile couple.
"The cost of living is crazy right now, with two kids, gas prices, and rent...I'm living paycheck to paycheck" said the 24-year-old, who did not give her last name to protect her identity. "I just really need the money to finish school."
Michelle is not alone. As the nation's economy is slumping, some fertility clinics say interest in donating has surged.
"We are seeing an increase in inquiries but we're not sure if it's due to the economy or increased awareness," said Dr. Susan Willman, a reproductive endocrinologist at the Reproductive Science Center of the Bay Area. Last July, the Reproductive Science Center received 120 calls inquiring about egg donation. This year that number jumped to 158 calls.
"We are so inundated right now," Robin von Halle, president of Alternative Reproductive Resources, told CNN.
Von Halle said 30 to 50 inquiries a day from potential donors come in to her Chicago, Illinois, agency, which connects would-be parents with donors and surrogates. A year ago, it would have been 10 to 30, she said.
Talking to other people in the field has convinced von Halle that applications from potential donors are up "across the board."
The increase in inquiries correlates with tough economic times, von Halle said. "I know that's why they call us, for that financial remuneration, she said. "They don't like to openly admit that, but some people are saying that."
"I think there is a spike more for financial reasons," said Mahshid Albrecht, manager of Donor Services at the Reproductive Science Center. "But is that the only reason? Probably not."
An egg donor is typically compensated between $5,000 and $10,000. Experts say that while most women donate out of desire to help infertile couples, the financial allure is real.
"It's important to understand that if a young woman walks into a clinic and says she wants to be an egg donor, the clinic doesn't just sit down and say 'Sure' and hand them money," said Dr. Mark Hornstein, president of the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology. "There are national guidelines. It's a tightly orchestrated, stringent process."
Read the rest of the story for more on donor qualifications and health risks. With a full load of classes, two young children, and her bills piling up, Michelle decided to face her economic straits in a pretty un... more -
Ova donations spur ethical debate in Israel
As donated eggs run low for infertile couples in Israel, a push is on to widen the ranks of possible donors. But one of the country's oldest women's rights groups fears the possibility of financial exploitation and wants tighter oversight.
Ofra Balaban knows how important a gift of ova can be: She conceived her two sons with eggs donated more than a decade ago.
That was before allegations of ova theft in conjunction with a rising demand and donor restrictions contributed to a shortage of ova in Israel.
One scandal in particular, involving ovum extraction and medical dishonesty in 2000, has tainted the industry with the odor of exploitation and discouraged ova donors, who, by current law, can only be women who are undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment themselves.
Around 20,000 in vitro fertilization cycles are performed each year in Israel, a tiny country that is a world leader in fertility treatments and places a high value on having children for cultural, religious and demographic reasons. But only a fraction of women who go through IVF are willing or able to donate quality eggs to other women who want to conceive. It is estimated that some 3,000 women in Israel are waiting for egg donations.
"It began with the fact that there weren't enough," Balaban said. "But today, unfortunately, we have reached the situation where there are zero ova donations in Israel." As donated eggs run low for infertile couples in Israel, a push is on to widen the ranks of possible donors. But one of the country�... more -
Donor 401: 1 Sperm Donor, 25 kids, 1 new, big family
Excerpt 1
Kimberly (who did not want her last name used) turned on the television in the kitchen. As the camera panned across a group of youngsters and infants visiting the show's studio with their mothers, she moved closer to the screen -- and got chills. Then one of her daughters screeched, "Mommy, that girl looks just like us!"
Kimberly's daughter was right: Every single child did look remarkably like hers. Then she heard the commentary: "Sperm Donor 401...German background..." The seven women onscreen were talking to the show's host about a man neither she nor they had ever met: the biological father of all their children.
Excerpt 2
Looking at a room full of her children's half-siblings was deeply unsettling for Kimberly. Ken, who was comfortable from the start with the idea of donor insemination, was interested in what the women had to say about the experience but not disturbed by it. "The only thing I've ever been concerned about was the one-in-a-million chance they might someday get romantically involved with half-siblings," he says. Even that is not top of mind for him, he says. "What's important is that they're happy, healthy kids."
Excerpt 3
It's difficult to predict how many vials of semen it will take for a woman to become pregnant, but generally it's about six, says Sherron Mills, founder and CEO of Pacific Reproduction Services, in San Francisco and Pasadena, California. Women routinely buy extra vials in case they have trouble getting pregnant or later decide they want related children. Clients usually keep their excess vials at the bank so it can ensure they're stored properly and the sperm stays viable; women who end up with more vials than they need typically sell them back to the bank.
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basically its the story about a mom who used artificial insemination to get kids but found out (on tv) that her kids had about 25 "half-siblings" form other women who used the same donor for insemination... in her story she was scared that her kids might grow up to have romantic feelings for their half-siblings and other things like trying to find the donor who remanin anonymous because of a strict policy...... pretty intresting
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Link here:
http://lifestyle.msn.com/familyandparenting/raisingkids... Excerpt 1 ... more -
"Lesbian Fathers ! " and "Homosexual Mothers !" Does America H...
Based on the May 15th decision of 4 judges in California, if you do not like same sex 'marriages', you are a bigot and a racist. Same sex attraction has the same status as race in the law.according to them.
The vote of millions of Californians (61%) was made unconstitutional.
They will need Re-education, starting from kindergarten.
Sound familiar ?
Keep your homophobic hate-thoughts to yourself !!! Please.
Or you will be in trouble.
The link above is an example of a debate on the issue at the House of Commons in England.
This is a test of what is coming to America. Based on the May 15th decision of 4 judges in California, if you do not like same sex 'marriages', you are a bigot and a rac... more -
Human Rights Court: Murderer should be able to have child
Convicted murderer Kirk Dickson and his wife Lorraine have won the right to have a child after the European Courrt of Human Rights ruled that the British Home Office violated their human rights by denying Lorraine the opportunity to be artificially inseminated.
The ruling brings to an end almost 6 years of legal fighting over the matter.
Kirk, 35 will be not eligible for release until 2009, by which time Lorraine will be 51. They argued their chances to become pregnant would be severely reduced if they had to wait.
The couple was awarded "5,000 euros in damages and 21,000 euros in costs." Convicted murderer Kirk Dickson and his wife Lorraine have won the right to have a child after the European Courrt of Human Rights rul... more -
Sperm Donor Ruled to Pay Child Support?
A New York man who donated his sperm to a co-worker has been ordered to pay child support..
It's not quite as black and white as I first thought it was. The biological father sent Christmas cards and birthday cards to the boy for 18 years signing them "daddy" and later on "dad". He reportedly spoke to him on the phone on seven occasions.
This amounts to a fatherly relationship according to the Judge who has ordered the man to pay child support.
What are your thoughts on this ruling? A New York man who donated his sperm to a co-worker has been ordered to pay child support.. ... more -
Imprisoned Mafioso fathers child without Conjugal Visit.
Raffaele Cutolo won the right to artificially inseminate his wife, a woman that he has never had sex with.
The couple now have a healthy baby girl.
"I'll die in prison. My last wish is to give my wife a child." Raffaele Cutolo won the right to artificially inseminate his wife, a woman that he has never had sex with. ... more -
Sperm Egg Swim
"Swim" is an abstract interpretation of conception and, more specifically, artificial insemination, produced entirely by graphic design. In a time where all is to be controlled, the elementary force of our very existence brings an undeniable fusion for a magic moment. This short film is simply about the power that brings us all to life. "Swim" is an abstract interpretation of conception and, more specifically, artificial insemination, produced entirely by gra... more
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