Imagine being able to shop online for your child's DNA, at least the DNA your child will receive from his or her genetic mother (who may or may not be the same woman who carries the child your child to term). That's exactly what's possible from Egg Donation, Inc. For over 20 years, Egg Donation, Inc., has been helping doctors and prospective parents find egg donors. This assisted fertility center maintains a searchable catalog of over 1,000 women who are available to donate eggs to compatible parents. A donor listing includes the available donor's first name, a recent photograph, age, height, hair color, and eye color. Click on the photo and you can access: General information, such as month and year of birth, weight, birth religion, current state of residence (all prospective donors are in the United States), hair type (straight or curly), body type (fit, plump, etc.), complexion, race, father's national ancestry, mother's national ancestry, grandparents' national ancestry, tattoos, piercing, relationship status, left handedness or right handedness, occupation, self-described personality, reasons for becoming an egg donor, goals for life, reasons for becoming a donor, and additional comments such as "I've always had clear skin. I have some freckles. Not to brag, but I have great hair that I've never colored because I get lots of compliments. Tall, and lean body type." Medical information such as blood type, number of pregnancy, last visit to OB-GYN, results of last Pap smear, smoking, drinking, sexual orientation, number of sex partners, difficult pregnancies, illicit drug use, psychiatric counseling, psychiatric hospitalization, medical problems, and current medication. Education and employment, including IQ, GPA, and job history. Personal characteristics, such as the donor's comments about her personality and character, how she spends her spare time, philosophy of life, how she explains egg donation to her own children, and the hopes she has for the life of the child she will help create.
The potential egg donor also states whether she would be willing to or like to meet the parents or have any future contact with any child who may be conceived. Although program headquarters are located in Southern California, eggs can be shipped around the world. Egg Donation, Inc. claims to have helped over 3,000 couples in 35 countries. An online database of egg donors can, if nothing else, remind couples who are trying to conceive of all the questions they need to ask before choosing the donor of the maternal DNA for their child. And in many cases, an online egg donation program can provide the best match for parents trying to conceive.
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