Sometimes women who are contemplating donating their eggs get squeezed by the medical process and the short and long-term health effects of donating eggs. It’s a different vibe here at San Diego’s top egg donor program.

Choosing to donate eggs is a generous act — the rigorous screening, medical testing, and strict treatment protocol require a lot of time, commitment and patience. If you’re considering donating your eggs, you’ve no doubt done plenty of research about the process and the egg donor requirements.

While there is not much evidence surrounding long-term health risks for women who donates their eggs, it is our goal to inform and prepare every woman who is considering donating eggs of the possible risks and limit the number of times they donate to six 6 cycles.

Let’s explore the potential short and long-term health effects of donating eggs.

Some women don’t experience any side effects during the process, while others announce they experience headaches, mood swings, bloating, and temporary weight gain.

Cautionary Medication Protocols

The most concerning issue when it comes to egg donation is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or OHSS. It occurs when the medication used to facilitate egg retrieval elevates your estrogen levels.

Because these levels induce water to be drawn out of your bloodstream into the abdomen, severe OHSS can cause bloating and swelling, nausea and vomiting, low urine output, and a risk of blood clots.

IVF clinics are extremely careful with medication protocols for egg donors to avoid this condition. While it occurs in less than 2 percent of cases, it can be treated with a procedure to drain the excess fluid from the ovaries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year began requiring fertility clinics to report a wealth of information about egg donors, including their age, height, weight, ethnicity, and history of previous donations.