I will never forget the day my case manager called me last year and told me: “The family wants to let you know that they had a beautiful baby girl in November and are over the moon. She is absolutely beautiful.” I cried. Unknowingly, this family pushed me to be the best that I could be.
Read MoreI needed 5 extensive surgeries over a very short time period. I was extremely sick, and every doctor I saw was exasperated by how aggressive my case was. I went from being 100% healthy, to having one of the worst cases of endometriosis that even some of the top specialists had ever seen – and that all started within 6 months of donating my eggs.
Read MoreI felt like I had to sell myself. Saying the things although true are what people want to hear. It’s worse than a blind date. Specifically the motivation question — Why did you choose to be a donor? — I was specifically told not to say “financial incentive.” Which I think is most donors motivation. I feel like when you are looking for a life partner you are looking at the person as a whole, flaws and all, and I feel like this selection process should be treated the same.
Read MoreElizabeth was what is called a “premier” egg donor: she was paid $15,000 per cycle. Due to the subsequent health issues she experienced, she was able to successfully appeal all taxes on her compensation. In this interview, I ask her about what it’s like being a high-demand donor, what her body has gone through, and for advice she has for egg donors.
Read MoreThe US Tax Court has reached a decision in the groundbreaking tax case in which an egg donor, Nichelle Perez, argued that her egg donation compensation should be excluded her gross income and exempted from taxes owed. The outcome? Perez lost. Sierra Falter, attorney and founding member of We Are Egg Donors, weighs in on what this new ruling means for egg donors.
Read MoreSonja O’Hara is a New York-based writer and actress who wrote and starred in Ovum, a narrative feature film based on her experience as a three-time egg donor. 70 percent of her film was financed with her eggs — Ovum is meant to spur a conversation about eugenics, reproduction, and the unseen side of the market for elite and top shelf eggs.
[Heads up: This interview contains NSFW images. Film stills courtesy of Ovum film.]
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