"Wanted: Egg Donor in Good Health": Documentary online

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Every year in Canada, thousands of idealistic young women volunteer for a medical procedure that will stimulate their ovaries to produce eggs. Their eggs are then surgically harvested for use by infertile couples desperate for a baby. Although it is illegal in Canada to pay for human eggs, there is a thriving black market. Also, there are no regulations governing the care these young women receive during this procedure. Sometimes, things go terribly wrong. Freelance science journalist Alison Motluk follows the stories of several young women who became egg donors.

This documentary was partly funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). It first aired Feb 19/12, The Sunday Edition, CBC Radio.

Listen to it online on CBC.

Alison is still interviewing women who have donated in Canada. Any donors who would like to share their stories can contact her directly at alison@motluk.com or at egg.donor.story@gmail.com

Alison has written & broadcast previously about donor conception, including:
* The  Human Egg Trade (April/10. The Walrus)
* The anonymous donor dilemma: To google or not to google? (Apr 18/10. Globe
& Mail)
* Canadian court bans anonymous sperm and egg donation (May 27/11, Nature)
* Brave New Family (2 hour documentary re sperm donation. Oct/07, CBC Radio)
* From Here to Maternity (2 hour documentary re egg donation. Jun/09, CBC
Radio )