Helping to create a family as an egg donor is both a beautiful gift and a serious commitment. It is not a decision that should be made lightly. Sofia, a two-time donor, advises others to “ask lots of questions and make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before a family starts relying on you to have a child.”
While Sofia does not plan to have her own biological children, she was drawn to egg donation as a way to help families who cannot conceive on their own.
“I’ve always known that I didn’t want to have my own kids; I’d prefer to adopt or foster,” she explains. “However, I know the ability to have children is a gift not all have, and I think this [egg donation] is the perfect way to share that gift.”
Educating herself on the process
Sofia did her research, reading as much information as she could find about the egg donation process to determine if it was right for her.
“It’s a beautiful process and well worth it in my opinion, but the 20+ injections you have to give yourself, the discomfort and pain of retrieval are not for the faint of heart,” she says. “Becoming an egg donor is something I chose for myself. It’s a big decision, and it requires some sacrifice.”
Educating herself on the process has also helped Sofia navigate conversations with family members who have not always agreed with her decision to be an egg donor.
“I didn’t tell my family until after I had already made my decision,” Sofia says. “I made sure I was prepared with as much information as possible about why I chose to be an egg donor, all aspects of the process and how I could be affected by it. I knew the risks and the gift I was giving a family.”
While Sofia says her Catholic grandparents “are not fans of the process” and her parents are indifferent, they still support her. “When I get push back, I listen patiently, recognizing that people who haven’t experienced infertility may have different opinions on the process, and that’s okay. I think the important part is remembering that you don’t need their approval, you need their support and their love. They don’t have to agree with the decision you’ve made, but they should know why you made it and be able to support you.”
Receiving support
For Sofia, support during the egg donation process has come in a variety of ways. Her parents helped care for her during a cycle that took place in her hometown of Miami. Her best friend, who recently graduated from law school, read through the legal documents and helped explain them to Sofia. While all donors have their own legal representation through Egg Donor Solutions (EDS), Sofia says, “I thought it would be fun to hear from my friend, too, and she was very excited for me!”
Sofia’s boyfriend has also provided a great deal of support – from holding her when she did her first few injections to driving her to and from the doctor’s office on retrieval day to picking up her prescriptions and buying her pads.
“It was really sweet, and it made me feel like I wasn’t alone and that I was loved,” she says.
Sofia stresses the importance for other donors of having support during their cycle. “You should have at least one person to help you through it,” she says. “It makes the whole process a little less scary and daunting knowing there will be someone to hold your hand and help you when you need it.”
Ready to help another family
While Sofia acknowledges the difficult parts of the journey – she says retrieval day was the hardest part due to some pain and a few days of discomfort afterward – she is looking forward to helping another family. She was recently matched again and is getting ready to start her third cycle.
“It’s such a special way to help a family,” Sofia says. “I feel honored and excited to be a part of it.”
Our EDS team is committed to educating egg donors on all aspects of the process – the risks and the rewards. If you would like to learn more about how you could help create a happy family, please visit www.eggdonorinformation.com or contact our team at Info@CreateAHappyFamily.com.
We help Intended Parents Create Happy Families via Egg Donation & Surrogacy
with the help of caring Egg Donors & Surrogates.
What is Egg Donation, Can I be an Egg Donor, Egg Donation Process, Common Egg Donation Questions, Becoming an Egg Donor, Qualifying as an Egg Donor, Egg Donation, Egg Donor process, Why to go through an agency?, Egg Donation Overview.
