There have been many articles recently, especially out of New York, calling for regulation in the egg, sperm and surrogacy markets. Currently there is not much. Eggsploitation debuts at The Little Theatre in Rochester, NY on Monday, August 9 at 5pm. The film fits very neatly with the increasing concern of unregulated assisted reproduction strategies.
The film tells the story of three young women, all educated, who suffered extreme health consequences as a result of donating eggs. The high doses of fertility drugs required for donation along with the egg retrieval surgery can lead to very real health risks. The filmmakers are hoping the personal stories of these women will provide a wake up call to those who are obstructing regulation of this growing, multi billion dollar industry.
One of the women suffered a stroke, brain damage and loss of her own fertility. Another lost her ovary and later developed breast cancer, and finally the third developed severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. They all nearly died at some point in their experience with egg donation.
Naturally, young healthy women are targeted for donors. The most vulnerable are young women on college campuses with significant student loans. That kind that might occur at ivy league or prestigious graduate schools. The women are sucked in by promises of significant money, relative personal health safety and a sense of doing something charitable and selfless by helping an infertile couple achieve a child.
Eggsploitation hopes to correct the common misperception that egg harvesting is an easy procedure and also aims to show the unscrupulous side of the human egg market. The ultimate goal is to put some legislative protections in place.
Source: PR Newswire, The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network
