Egg donors warned to not do it for the cash as compensation rises | NESMAG

The compensation that egg donors obtain will rise for the primary time in over a decade, however folks shouldn’t donate purely for the cash, the UK fertility regulator has warned.

It is prohibited to pay somebody for his or her eggs within the UK however compensation is paid to cowl bills. This will rise from £750 to £986 on 1 October, partly to replicate value rises.

The UK at the moment has a scarcity of egg donors, notably from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, the regulator stated.

Yasmin Sharman, from London, was impressed to donate for the primary time aged 18. “I realised there was a lack of people of colour donors and that upset me… and so that made me want to do it again,” they stated.

“I identify as a non-binary lesbian so I already had the thought in my head of I may have to go through different routes to have children,” they defined.

Now aged 26, Mx Sharman has donated thrice and shares their egg donation journey on TikTok. They stated plenty of the feedback targeted on the compensation not being thought of sufficient.

“If you raise it too much there is a risk there that people will do it solely for the money, which puts lower income people more at risk,” they stated.

The compensation will rise for the primary time since 2011 in England Wales and NI partly because of inflation, stated the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

Egg donor compensation is just not paid in Scotland.

“It’s going up to just under £1,000 which the HFEA felt was a right balance between compensating people for their time but really recognising that, in the UK, egg donation is an altruistic act,” stated Clare Ettinghausen, director of technique and company affairs on the HFEA.

Donating purely for the cash ought to include a “clear health warning” as there are some risks, added Ms Ettinghausen.

“It’s not without risks. You go through the first part of IVF treatment. It can be uncomfortable,” she added.

Donors are additionally made conscious that any youngsters born from their eggs can attempt to contact them as soon as they flip 18.

Charlotte Holmes, 35, who lives in London, additionally shares her egg donor expertise on social media.

She is at the moment present process the donation course of for a second time for a pair who contacted her on-line.

“I give blood. I’ve donated my hair. It’s something for me that feels in excess especially when I don’t want children,” Ms Holmes stated.

“The first time I donated was last year. I donated to the London Egg Bank and this year after a couple reached out to me on Instagram, I’m donating to them.”

Ms Holmes instructed the BBC she won’t obtain any extra cash from the couple – solely the present £750 compensation from the clinic.

According to information from the HFEA, egg donation has remained largely the identical because the 2011 compensation rise however demand for eggs has elevated.

Ms Holmes does not assume folks ought to donate purely for monetary functions however hopes the rise in compensation may also help tackle the present donor scarcity.

“Does the additional £250 make a huge amount of difference? Probably not,” she stated.

“If it opens the door to other women going ‘oh £1,000’, is that a good thing? I think it is because we’re desperate for egg donors,” she added.

This is a sentiment shared by Belle Brittle, 24, from Cambridgeshire, who donated her eggs final yr.

“It may entice people to donate their eggs, albeit for financial reasons, but if it works to encourage people to at least think about donating, then it’s important,” she stated.

“It’s an egg donation process, not an egg sales market.”

Some clinics hope the compensation rise will assist to deal with the egg donor scarcity.

“Increasing the compensation for egg donors within the UK to £986 is justified because it higher displays the time, effort, and medical dangers concerned within the donation and helps tackle the present donor scarcity,” said Dr Thanos Papathanasiou, chief executive and medical director at Bourn Hall fertility clinic.

“The donation course of nonetheless requires real private dedication, so growing the compensation wouldn’t undermine the altruistic motivations behind egg donation however present recognition of the donor’s good will.”

All egg donors are offered counselling by clinics and have to go through several medical tests before they can donate.

In most cases you need to be over 18 and under 36 to donate.

Approved donors can go through up to 10 rounds of donations but more than 10 children could be born from the donations if several eggs are used by the same family.

“Really perceive that it isn’t one thing you do rapidly after which it is over,” Yasmin Sharman said.

“In 18 years, there may be the potential of a human being reaching out and contacting you.”