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Episode 61 Transcript

Ep 61 – Season 4: Egg Donors, Surrogates & IP Relationships

Eloise Drane
Welcome to the first episode of the season, I’m Eloise Drane host of Fertility Cafe. I’m excited to share what you can expect for season four. For this season, we’ll be focusing on issues facing egg donors and surrogates, as well as what intended parents need to keep in mind to have a good relationship with the egg donors and surrogates.

Eloise Drane
If you are a surrogate considering becoming a surrogate, or even been a surrogate in the past, we address several questions that we often receive. What are some of the least often discussed issues that are unique to the surrogate experience? And this season, we’ll hear from actual surrogates and speak with one woman in particular on her personal experience as a surrogate. What kind of privacy if any concern gets expect with regard to their medical records? Does HIPAA apply to surrogates? We’ll be speaking with the fertility attorney about all of this and more. What toll can the emotional burden of being a surrogate take on her and the baby this season will cover difficult to talk about but extremely important subjects? Like what happens when a pregnancy needs to be terminated during surrogacy? How can surrogates cope when suffering from postpartum depression? And what if any bonding is appropriate between the surrogate and baby?

Eloise Drane
Similarly, egg donors have many concerns and questions as well. What are some of the least often discussed issues that are unique to the aid donor experience? For instance, is it truly possible to be an anonymous donor anymore? And what happens 10 years or more after donation if a baby is showing signs of medical problems? How can donors objectively make a healthy decision as to whether or not donation is right for them? They need to think long into the future rather than focusing on the short term financial or emotional gains of the experience. Who is looking out for egg donors.

Eloise Drane
In this season, we’ll be talking with researchers who are doing important work studying the long term effects of egg donation, as well as the leaders of egg donor advocacy groups. What long term issues do donors need to think about before deciding to donate? We’ll be speaking with the representative from the donor sibling registry, as well as a donor who has the opportunity to have anonymous donations, as well as known donations, and how those experiences have impacted her now that there are children born from her donations. I’ll also be sharing my own experience of meeting a child born from one of my six egg donor cycles.

Eloise Drane
Also coming up in season four, we’re going to discuss intended parents in their relationships with their surrogates and egg donors. How can intended parents form a healthy relationship with their egg donors and prevent a donor from feeling like a gumball machine? Even if the egg donor relationship is anonymous? Are there ways that intended parents can make sure they in their donor have a positive experience? And what if the intended parents don’t want a relationship with their donor or surrogate after the process is complete? Is that okay? And if so, how can they go about in a way that is healthy and healing for everyone involved? We’ll be covering all of these important topics and more in season four of Fertility Cafe.

Eloise Drane
Join me for all of the episodes to come by subscribing to Fertility Cafe on your favorite listening platform. We’re on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify and Overcast. Thank you so much for joining me today. Remember, love has no limits. Neither should parenthood.

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