‘I would definitely encourage other women to do the same’

‘As a trainee midwife I’ve seen what it is like for people who have tried unsuccessfully to have a baby of their own and the joy on their faces when, after undergoing IVF, their dream finally comes true, said Christina, 30.

‘I’ve got three lovely children of my own and don’t want any more, so it seemed like a bit of a waste of my eggs not to donate them and give another person the children they so desperately want.’

FB egg donor appeal

Studying at home during COVID, Christina saw an appeal on Facebook from the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM) seeking potential egg donors. ‘As soon as I emailed and said I was interested they sent me through some details. We talked on Zoom and there was no pressure; it was very much at my own pace. ‘

Over the next few months Christina underwent medical screening including blood tests and family background checks to rule out serious genetic or hereditary conditions that would prevent her from donating her eggs. Happily everything was fine.

Emotional counselling before

To make sure she understood the short and long-term implications of donating her eggs, Christina had a session with a counsellor from the clinic, who was neutral and not directly involved in her medical care. ‘They went through everything step-by-step and what it all meant. You get to think the whole thing through before committing.”

Christina started the egg donation process five months later. ‘They sent the medication to my house and I went through what I would be taking with a nurse and how to inject myself and then we set up a plan for me to take the drugs for a certain number of days. I had to go into the clinic three times for scans and bloods. They talked me through everything they were looking at and showed me how many follicles or eggs I had, and how big they were.

Christina says although the medication didn’t affect her mood, she was nonetheless glad when the process was over. ‘I was getting really bloated. I guess if your body is used to producing just one egg a month, then it’s producing a large number then it’s going to feel a bit different. I did feel poorly for about 24 hours but I kind of expected that. After that it was fine and back to normal.

Helping two couples

‘They told me they’d got a really good number of eggs and two separate couples were going to use them. I’m so thrilled to have been able to play a part in helping couples experiencing fertility issues to have a much-longed for family. I’m really glad I did it and if it’s right for them, I would definitely encourage other women to do the same.’

For further information about egg donation at BCRM see https://bit.ly/3g7y6iz