F ERTILITY T REATMENT : DONOR EGGS Introduction to Family Studies Professor Connie Gager.

Fertility Treatment: donor eggsIntroduction to Family Studies

Professor Connie Gager

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Final Exam Review on Wednesday

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Infertility in the U.S. Like all topic we discuss in this class, infertility takes place in the larger U.S. context

First, the tendency to delay marriage and childbearing for economic reasons has increased the age at which women attempt conception

And the incidence of impaired ability to get pregnant increases with age:

In 1988, 4% of childless women aged 15-24 had impaired fecundity,

13% of those aged 25-34 21% of those aged 35-44

Source: Mosher & Bacharach, (1996), Understanding U.S. fertility: Continuity and change in the National Survey of Family Growth, 1988-1995

Infertility in the U.S.

What is the culture of fertility in the U.S.?Children are central to family in the U.S.

Enormous pressure on women to reproduceAlthough the stigma of being childless has lessened, the term still suggests couples are “missing something.”

Greater usage of the term child free marriages: couples who expect and intend to remain childless

Source: The Marriage and Family Experience, 19th edition, Chap 10


The U.S. is also a Capitalist economy Much money can be made through infertility treatments

In the United States in 2006, over $7.1 billion dollars was spent on fertility drugs alone.

This enormous figure does not include the private sale of unused fertility drugs, herbal supplements or black market drugs sold outside the United States.

Source: Helium.com: http://www.helium.com/tm/680838/infertility-heart-wrenching-conditions

Infertility in the U.S. Of the 62 million women of reproductive age in 2002, about 1.2 million, or 2%, had had an infertility-related medical appointment within the previous year

An additional 10% had received infertility services at some time in their lives.

Additionally, 7% of married couples in which the woman was of reproductive age (2.1 million couples) reported that they had not used contraception for 12 months and the woman had not become pregnant.

IN SUM infertility is a growing issue in the U.S.

Source: CDC, 2004 Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Report: Fertility Clinic Report by State

http://www.cdc.gov/ART/ART2004/faq.htm#1

Infertility in the U.S. What is assisted reproductive technology (ART)?

According to this definition, ART includes all fertility treatments in which

both eggs and sperm are handled. In general, ART procedures involve surgically removing eggs from a woman’s ovaries, combining them with sperm in the laboratory, and returning them to the woman’s body or donating them to another woman.

Source: CDC, 2004 Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Report: Fertility Clinic Report by Statehttp://www.cdc.gov/ART/ART2004/faq.htm#1


IVF (in vitro fertilization). Involves extracting a woman’s eggs, fertilizing the eggs in the laboratory, and then transferring the resulting embryos into the woman’s uterus through the cervix.

This may involve the woman’s own egg or an egg from a donor

Because an ART procedure includes several steps, it is typically referred to as a cycle of treatment.

PEGGY ORENSTEIN – DONOR EGGS

Donor eggs are now used in 12 percent of all in vitro fertilization (I.V.F.) attempts, making it among the fastest-growing infertility treatments.

Most of the mothers using donor eggs are in their 40s.

The birthrate among women ages 40-44 has risen 62 percent since 1990

The birthrate among women in their late 40s has more than doubled.


Among those who used I.V.F. in 2004:about 1/3 of the 43-year-olds used donor eggs

by 47 years old, 91 percent used a donor egg


# of attempts

1,802

# of attempts

15,175

# of babies

5,449

1992 2004


Jewish donors, Asians, Ivy Leaguers, and those with proven fertility, are considered “exceptional donors” and can command a hefty premium.

A recruitment ad on New York’s Craigslist offered up to $10,000 for Asian donors.

On some sites Orenstein visited, agencies were asking $15,000 for donors with proven fertility.

There have been reports of agencies charging more than double that for other highly desirable women.


Yet there is often no way to know whether the information the donor gives, including her medical history and educational background, is accurate.

According to a 2006 study conducted by researchers at New York University found that donors routinely “lowballed” their weight

The heavier they were the more they lied.

What do we call this?Social desirability bias


Each profile listed: the donor’s age (“over the hill” if more than 30)

hair color eye color weight ethnicity marital status


Each profile listed: education level

high school or college G.P.A.’s, college major

evidence of “proved” fertility blood type bust sizefavorite movies, foods, and TV shows


What would you do?

What characteristics would be important to you?

F ERTILITY T REATMENT : DONOR EGGS Introduction to Family Studies Professor Connie Gager.

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