I'm 22 and healthy, and I'm considering donating my eggs to an infertile couple. I've read the information the clinic provided, but I was wondering how safe this procedure really is -- particularly injecting myself with hormones for two weeks.

K.

Egg donation is a wonderful gift you can provide to an infertile couple hoping to conceive. But the commitment to participate as an egg donor must be made after careful consideration of all that is involved.

After undergoing physical examination, ultrasound, blood testing, and a psychologic evaluation, you will be ready to enter the program. Once you are chosen as a donor, you will be taught how to give yourself the many injections you will need to stimulate the development of multiple eggs. When the eggs are ready, you will take an injection of the hormone hCG, and an egg retrieval will be scheduled about 36 hours later. You will likely be given intravenous sedation; using ultrasound for guidance, the doctor will place a needle into your ovaries and remove the eggs in a procedure lasting 20-30 minutes. About 30-60 minutes later you will be ready to go home, where you should take things easy for a day or two.

Risks from the drugs and the egg retrieval procedure are minimal. There is no credible evidence that there is any long-term risk of early menopause or cancer associated with this treatment. Infection or bleeding associated with the egg retrieval procedure is also rare. So, if this is something you would like to do, I am sure your commitment to help the couple will be greatly appreciated.