Egg Donation, Essay Example

Egg donation refers to the process by which a woman provides her eggs for purposes of biomedical research or assisted reproduction. In regards to the purpose of assisted reproductions, donation of eggs usually involves the process of in vitro fertilization. For that reason, egg donation can be observed as part of the biological process of third party reproduction as part of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). Egg donation has raised several ethical and legal issues that need careful attention if the process is to be used in reproduction and beneficial way. Various researchers have come up with different observation s on this issue. The essay present an argument that egg donation should be made legal because it offers hope to parents and couples who are not able to have children for various reasons such as genetic and medical complication.

Since its materialization, egg donation has raised various issues and challenges. The process of egg donation has raised concerns in different areas. For instance, egg donation has raised more concerns in regards to justice and the potential specter of eugenics. During recruitment of donors, there is a possibility that medical practitioners may prefer women of particular ethnic or racial backgrounds or with certain educational test scores. Additionally, women exhibiting these characteristics maybe compensated more than others without these characteristic do. These issues have been seen to create discrimination as well as unethical practices among medical practitioners who have been seen to use the process for their selfish gains. According to Susan Golombok (2), egg donation may be disadvantageous because the donated eggs may harm parenting and offspring psychological adjustment.

Additional questions may also emerge as to whether it is in the best interest of the offspring or child to know of, and, or be able to contact the egg donor. In regards to this, Susan Golombok (2) ascertains that the process may cause issues such as secrecy about the child’s genetic origins, which, in turn may make the child suffer emotional, identity or even behavioral problem when he find out about his or her origin. Therefore, the fact that the offspring may be harmed by not knowing their biological parents should perhaps trumps egg recipients’ fear that the resulting children would feel less close to them, as a result. These issues are, however, being examined scientifically as many practitioners agree that a child’s behavior may only be affected with parental care or environment but not genetically.

Nevertheless, there are various reasons, as to why egg donation should be made legal. For example, egg donation has afforded new hopes to previously infertile women who have poor health quality or quantity. Researchers have found that egg donation is not only safe way, but also very effective way to reproduce children, especially for women who cannot themselves produce healthy eggs (Alberta et al. 402). Even though there is no genetic relationship between a mother and the child, it has been found that egg donation enables the rearing parents to exhibit biological connection with the resultant offspring (Alberta et al. 402).

Egg donation also provides hope for the women who have been suffering from premature ovarian failure. For instance, a woman who has had her ovaries removed for reasons such as a medical complication can benefit from egg donation. These women, therefore, do not have to go through the trauma of not bearing children. Egg donation also helps those parents who have decided to start a family late due to various reasons and cannot produce eggs due to their age or premature ovarian failure (Alberta et al. 400).

Another important beneficial of egg donation is that it gives rise to a generation of children who are more resistant to diseases than the previous generation. Before egg donation, the medical practitioners often choose parents with better genetic make-ups for the process. For that reason, the resulting offspring are not only delivered safely, but also have a better chance of surviving owing to the fact that the donors were significantly healthy before the process. The process of egg donation becomes even less complicated when the known donors are relatives or friends who wish to donate for altruistic reasons (Alberta et al., 404). Nevertheless, egg donors may be known to the person who uses infertility services or anonymous.

Egg donation should be made legal because it presents women who are able to bear children, but lack financial resources to donate their eggs to families that are able to raise the children. Women who have no financial means can be well compensated if they decide to donate eggs to parents who are not able to bear children (Reame 337). Additionally, these women, in most cases, may also be allowed to keep in touch or visit the children at their request. Therefore, regardless of their financial positions, they can watch the children grow. The chances of joint parental care may be made possible particularly if the couple being assisted agree to be acquainted with the egg donor (Reame 337).

Conclusion

In conclusion, despite various challenges to the process of egg donation, the benefits are enormous. Besides being very safe and effective, the process of egg donation also offer the massive benefits the couples who would wish to have children, but cannot bear children due to various reasons, it is justifiable that the method should be made legal. For that reason, the process should be made legal.

Works Cited

Alberta, HB, RM Berry, and AD Levine. Compliance with Donor Age Recommendations in Oocyte Donor Recruitment Advertisements in the USA. Reproductive Biomedicine Online. 26.4 (2013): 400-405. Print.

Reame, Nancy. Informed Consent Issues in Assisted Reproduction. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing. 28.3 (1999): 331-338. Print.

Golombok, Susan. Families Created by Reproductive Donation: Issues and Research. Child Development Perspectives. 7.1 (2013): 61-65. Print.