Egg Donation vs. Adoption

Egg donation is both mentally and physically a difficult decision. When deciding between obtaining a donated egg and adopting a child, there are choices you must make and questions you must ask. Below are a few of the considerations you must include in your decision-making.

Carrying a Child

Obtaining a donated egg requires either you or another female to carry the child from inception to birth. Unfortunately, one of your fertility issues may be an ability to carry a child. In such a situation, you must then find a surrogate to carry the baby. This surrogate may or may not be the woman donating the egg. Keep in mind, though, that there is no guarantee a donated egg will result in a pregnancy or that such pregnancy will not have complications. However, similarly, there is no guarantee that any adoption will proceed smoothly and the child will be born without complications or disabilities.

Choosing an Egg Donor

One of the more difficult tasks of egg donation is choosing the donor. The donor’s background, health and other facts will impact the success of the egg retrieval and implantation procedures. Additionally, there is always the potential for future legal problems from the egg donor. An unwillingness to donate when it comes time, or the possibility of later attempting to assert a parentage claim over a child, are both serious issues to consider. At the very least, to counteract some of these potential problems, make sure that any donor signs a contract releasing any claim over the donated egg.

Choosing an Adoptive Mother

Just as choosing an egg donor is difficult, choosing an adoptive child is not without its problems. What makes choosing a child to adopt complicated is the intensity and duration of the adoption process. Government managed adoptions are often extremely complicated and the children in such adoptions are older than infancy. Private adoptions, including those managed by religious institutions, are somewhat simpler, but still present extensive legal and emotional troubles.

The Potential of Reneging

One of the largest problems with adoption is that at any time up to and including the child’s third day after birth, the mother can change her mind and decide not to offer the child for adoption. While after such a period an adoption is final and not easily contested, it is still possible for a birth-mother to bring the adoptive parents to court in an attempt to regain custody over the child.

Financial Aspects of Egg Donation vs. Adoption

Because of the medicines, time and pain involved, egg donation is significantly more expensive than adoption. Many times, the birth-mother’s medical care and other fees will be paid by the adoption agency. However, egg donation costs fall solely on the recipient’s shoulders, and with the going fee for egg donors anywhere between 7 and 12,000 dollars, donation is definitely not cheap. Prior to choosing donation or adoption, thoroughly investigate the financial aspects of each choice and determine whether your budget can seriously handle either.

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