OCTOBER 22, 2008

In Vitro Fertilization and Cancer, by Jennifer Schneider, MD

[invited blogpost for "Before You Take That Pill, Read This" blog]

Hi, Doug,

My daughter, Jessica Grace Wing, died of metastatic colon cancer at age 31, some 7 years after undergoing 3 cycles of egg donation to infertile couples. She had no family history of colon cancer, and genetic tests showed she had no genetic risk. To produce multiple eggs for egg donation, egg donors undergo ovarian stimulation by a series of injections of various female hormones. Infertile women given a similar regimen to produce eggs for their own use have a slight long-term risk of developing certain cancers. Egg donors have never been studied to find out what their risks are. Certain short-term complications are common, but nothing is known about any possible long-term risks. Egg donors are treated as vendors, not as patients. It is time that egg donors be followed carefully, as are other organ donors, and that their long-term health risks are evaluated. Until then, potential egg donors cannot really sign an informed consent form, because their risks are simply not know. A national egg donor registry is the first step.

Last year I did a Congressional briefing summarizing the whole issue. I wrote up what I said. You can find it here.

And here is a story that appeared last March.

Also, for your information, here is an article that is about to appear in the journal Fertility and Sterility.

Jennifer Schneider, MD

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Doug Bremner wrote on Oct 22, 2008

Thanks, Jennifer, for sharing that important information. As a parent I have great empathy for what you have gone through, and as a doctor I think a registry is required.