Berenice Golding

Egg sharing: a practical and ethical option in IVF?

Egg sharing is a procedure in which a woman who is herself undergoing assisted-conception treatment receives subsidized treatment in exchange for sharing her eggs with another woman. It has become increasingly prevalent in the UK and is the major source of donor eggs in the UK; however, its practice is controversial. Available evidence concerning the outcomes of egg sharing is limited. To date, while this has failed to provide strong empirical support for concerns that have been raised regarding egg sharing, continuing significant gaps in information regarding clinical and psycho–social outcomes remain, which mean that an informed judgment on empirical grounds cannot yet be made. Ongoing key ethical controversies focus on the impact of egg sharing on the commodification of human gametes and whether women can genuinely consent to donating their eggs under an egg-sharing scheme.