1% will have agony that needs hospitalization.
Naturally, the focus of lots of the debate about egg donation is on the ethics of embryonic stem cell research.
Embryonic stem cell research needs that embryos be demolished and to analyze and produce human embryonic stem cells. To get human embryos, you want human oocytes or eggs. Many of us doubtless know at least one lady who has undergone the hormone treatments to excite egg production.
The series of shots reset the menstrual cycle and cause the lady to supply more than the common 1 or 2 eggs.
The hormones can have complications that may range between uncomfortable to potentially fatal.
Ovarian Hyperstimulation is an example of the complications and can be mild or it could cause fluid build up in the lungs and intestinal hole, and a risk of blood clots. Retrieval of the eggs is usually done transvaginally. A laparascopic needle is placed into the pelvic hole thru the wall of the vagina, to get to the ovaries where the eggs are. Because infertility treatment and especially in vitro fertilization and embryonic research has not been federally subsidized – and as the full termination / ladies’s rights / compassion for desolate girls conversation is a huffy political issue – there’s also small oversite and even less formal reporting of complications and complications. As there’s tiny reporting, there’s not very much info available in the medical literature about the risks . However, there’s eventually info on the near term effects, even if none on the long run effects, yet. The abstract, or outline here:
RESULTS: A total of 1166 OR were performed during the study period, of which 1058 (90.7%) ORs were included prospectively. Incomplete data meant that the remaining 9.3% were excluded. No complications were caused by sedation or general anaesthesia. Vaginal bleeding was observed in 2.8% of procedures, without any cases of intra-abdominal bleeding. An injury of pelvic structures (a ureteral lesion) occurred in one case. No case of pelvic infection, but one case of unexplained fever, was observed. A severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) occurred in 2.7% of cases. Although most patients tolerated the OR well, 3% of patients experienced severe to very severe pain after the OR and 2% of patients were still suffering from severe pain 2 days after the procedure. The pain level increased with the number of oocytes retrieved. About 0.7% of patients required hospitalization for pain treatment.
Resource:
Ludwig, AK, et. al. ”Perioperative and post-operative complications of transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval: prospective study of greater than 1000 oocyte retrievals.” Human Reproduction, Advance Access published on July 27, 2006.
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