First Private IVF Egg Bank Launched in UK

The first IVF (In vitro fertilization) egg bank launches Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013 in the U.K., to aid women attain motherhood.

The egg donors will be paid about £750 ($1194) for their eggs.

This will also prevent IVF patients from going abroad to seek treatment.  

"The new egg bank may reduce the incentives to buy eggs from abroad - and the danger of exploitation that this involves. But it represents another step towards the separation of reproductive processes into commodifiable components, a process that in itself raises fundamental ethical questions," Anna Smajdor, a medical ethicist at the University of East Anglia, told the Daily Mail in a report.

The patients will have to pay about £3,000 (approx. $4774) for the donor eggs along with £5,000 (approx. $7957) more as a fee for IVF. But there is a risk involved as some women might use this as a way to earn money without understanding the health-related threats of the process.

"With money so scarce at the moment one can imagine vulnerable young women considering this a useful way to make ends meet," said Josephine Quintavalle, of campaign group Comment on Reproductive Ethics.

The medicine used for triggering egg production prior to donation can have a grave effect on the donor as it can lead to ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome, a possibly fatal occurrence, which turns the ovaries incapable of handling the extra eggs produced. Young egg donors also have the risk of losing the ability to conceive later on.

The willing egg donors will be counseled and informed if any children are born from their eggs. The donor will have the right to trace the children once they turn 18.

"Many egg donors have 'seen infertility at close hand among their friends and family' or 'want to give something back'," said Dr. Kamal Ahuja, director of the London Women's Clinic.

"Many donors have children of their own and are in settled family relationships. They are keen to donate their eggs but have never been encouraged to do so," Dr. Ahuja added.

Donating eggs to other aspiring mothers is very time consuming and painful. Hence, U.K.'s fertility watchdog lately hiked the compensation to £750 ($1194) for the donors.

Rise in the number of women facing pregnancy issues due to low egg count has resulted in an increased requirement for egg donors. This newly launched egg bank may help in bringing down the number of IVF patients and blessing them with the joy of motherhood.