If I Donate My Eggs, Can I Still Have Kids?
This blog post was originally written for Bright Expectations in February 2018.
Helping a family by donating eggs might make you think about the day you start building your own family. Chances are, you don’t want a baby yourself right now, but someday you may want to be a mom. Women who are considering donating sometimes worry that being so generous now could affect their ability to have kids later. Here’s the short answer: it won’t.
There’s no evidence that egg donation affects future fertility. In a recent Belgian study of 60 donors, 54 became pregnant within a year of trying and another three within 18 months, all without needing any assistance. The remaining three also conceived after fertility treatment, but in two of those cases, fertility challenges were related to the male partner. Still concerned? Here are answers to some of the most common questions we hear on this topic.
Does donating eggs deplete my egg supply?
This is the most common myth about egg donation, and it’s easy to understand why it causes concern. When you ovulate naturally, your body releases one egg. During an egg donation cycle, your body may mature 10 to 20 eggs. Here’s the thing: every cycle, your body naturally begins to mature 15 to 20 eggs, all competing to become the single egg that ovulates. The remaining eggs are reabsorbed by your body.
The only difference during egg donation is that medication allows your body to mature all of those eggs instead of just one. At the end of the cycle, your overall egg reserve is exactly what it would’ve been otherwise.
Will the fertility medications affect my hormones in the future?
Studies have shown that fertility medications do not have long-term effects on fertility. They temporarily boost hormone levels while you’re taking them, but those hormones leave your system quickly once treatment ends. It may take a couple of months for your period to return to its regular schedule, but this is entirely normal and not a cause for concern.
What about possible complications?
Egg donation is very safe, but like any medical procedure, it isn’t completely without risk. Rare complications can occur. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) happens when the body overreacts to fertility medications and can cause bloating and cramping. In very rare cases, OHSS can lead to ovarian torsion, a condition in which an ovary twists and causes severe pain and potential damage.
The risk of ovarian torsion is less than 1 percent. To further reduce that risk, your doctor will recommend avoiding intense exercise and high-impact activities during the donation process.
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What can I do to protect my future fertility?
Whether or not you decide to donate eggs, thinking ahead can improve your chances of getting pregnant when the time is right. Lifestyle choices play the biggest role in protecting fertility at this stage, though your doctor can also provide guidance and support.
Stay fit
Diet and nutrition have a major impact on fertility. Being significantly over- or underweight can make it harder to conceive by disrupting hormone production and ovulation. Nutrition matters, too. Trans fats have been shown to interfere with ovulation, while a balanced mix of protein, slow-release carbohydrates, and healthy fats helps support reproductive health.
Regular exercise is also beneficial for managing stress and maintaining overall health. That said, it’s important not to overdo it. Even with a normal BMI, excessive or very intense exercise can place stress on the body and affect hormone production.
Don’t smoke
Nicotine use negatively affects health in many ways, including fertility. Smoking damages cells throughout the body, including the ovaries, and can harm egg quality. It may also lead to earlier menopause, which significantly shortens the window for getting pregnant.
Keep alcohol and caffeine use in check
Alcohol and caffeine aren’t as harmful as smoking, but moderation still matters. Binge drinking can seem like a natural part of life in your college years and 20s, but the damage it causes can lead to irregular cycles. Caffeine is less clear-cut. Research is mixed, but some evidence suggests that consuming more than two cups of coffee per day could impact fertility.
Stay aware of your sexual and cervical health
One of the most important things you can do to protect your fertility is to practice safer sex and get regular screenings for sexually transmitted infections. Untreated infections can damage the fallopian tubes and cause inflammation, scarring, and other serious complications.
Many of the STIs that pose the greatest risk to fertility are especially difficult to detect because they often cause no noticeable symptoms. You may not know anything is wrong until damage has already occurred. The good news is that many infections are treatable with antibiotics or manageable with antiviral medications, so regular testing is key. If you’re under 26, make sure you receive the HPV vaccine to protect against cervical cancer, and all women should continue routine Pap smears.
Get a fertility check-up
Knowledge is power. If you’re curious about where you stand on your biological timeline, fertility testing can provide insight into your ovarian reserve and hormone levels. One added benefit of egg donation is that this information is included at no cost!
Consider freezing your eggs
Egg freezing is growing increasingly popular among young women with big plans for the next decade: school, career growth, travel, or relationships. Freezing your own eggs now, when you’re at your peak fertility, lets you press pause on their aging. Younger eggs are higher quality, and higher-quality eggs offer much better success rates. There are no guarantees, but egg freezing can meaningfully increase your chances of getting pregnant as you age. An added bonus: the egg-freezing process is the same as egg donation, so if you’ve already donated, you’ll know exactly what to expect. Concerned about cost? You may be able to use egg donation compensation to help defray the costs or explore payment plans. It can be much more affordable than you expect!
Egg donation doesn’t pose a risk to your future fertility, but taking the time to understand the benefits and risks is a really smart move. Congrats on asking questions and looking out for your own health and future! This kind of self-care is so important: donating your eggs to a family struggling with fertility is such a huge act of compassion, and your own well-being deserves just as much attention.
