Charlotte IVF Experts Issue Urgent Call for Egg Donors, Eye New Recruiting Tools

Wait time for donations is spiraling for older couples wanting to start families

 CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – Radical shifts in parenting trends have fertility experts at Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte (REACH) eyeing far more aggressive means to recruit young women for human egg donations in 2008 – including new outreach through the Internet – in an effort to stem an alarmingly widening gap between supply and demand.

The average wait time for donated eggs for older women wishing to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF) has nearly doubled in the last two years, REACH doctors say. The increase is due to a national trend toward older mothering – spotlighted last month by the announcement of TV talk-show host Nancy Grace that she had given birth to twins at age 48.

“We are seeing the same trend locally toward more women in their late 30s and 40s and even later wanting to become pregnant,” said Dr. Nancy Teaff, reproductive endocrinologist at REACH. “More seem to believe that if they maintain healthy lifestyles they are capable of achieving pregnancy well into middle age. But the truth is that after age 35, a woman’s eggs become less and less viable.”

Older celebrities exacerbate the myth by being public about having babies later in life but private about how they did it, Teaff said. Holly Hunter had twins at 47, Geena Davis at 48, and Jane Seymour at 44. “We have to assume that almost all women are forced to use in vitro fertilization (IVF) with donor eggs to become moms at that age,” Teaff said.

Many of REACH’s patients are highly successful career-oriented professionals who delayed  childbearing. When they did not conceive easily they did not seek fertility care as soon as they should have, which further delayed successful treatment, Teaff said.

“Unfortunately, the public has not been highly aware of the benefits of IVF or of the field of reproductive endocrinology, but the word is getting out more and more, thanks in part to the Internet,” she said.

Meanwhile, the doctors at REACH also hope to raise awareness of the swelling need for donors through radio advertising and Web communications in 2008.

One of every 12 babies born to first-time mothers in 2006 was born to a woman 35 or older, compared to one in 100 in 1970, according to Elizabeth Gregory, author of a new book that touts the benefit of older motherhood, Ready: Why Women Are Embracing the New Later Motherhood, published in January.

Similarly, about 12 percent of IVF attempts in 2005 involved the use of donated eggs in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The number of IVF attempts that involved either donated eggs or donated embryos increased from about 5,000 attempts in 1995 to more than 16,000 attempts in 2005,

At REACH, a patient may choose an anonymous donor or a friend or family member who meets the requirements: they must be 21 to 32 years old, weigh under 200 pounds, must not have smoked within three months of the application date, and must have regular monthly menstrual periods. REACH offers compensation of $4,000 to first-time donors and $4,500 for additional cycles for their discomfort and time taken from work, school and/or parenting.

“It’s not easy to become a donor; many candidates do not pass the screening,” said Teaff. “The process includes a thorough review of medical history, including a physical examination, testing for infectious diseases, genetic testing, screening for inheritable diseases, and psychological assessment.”

Potential donors may contact Pat Buetow, R.N., REACH donor coordinator, 704-342-8235, or apply online, http://reachdrs.com/donors/online-donor-application.html.

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About Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte (REACH)

REACH is led by a nationally recognized team of five physicians who offer comprehensive, state-of-the-art assistance for infertile couples and women with reproductive endocrine problems. REACH physicians, all long-time practitioners in Charlotte, are widely respected for their superior pregnancy success rates – among the highest in the region -- and for the finest patient care. REACH is a member of IntegraMed, an exclusive network of fertility practices nationwide. For more information, visit www.REACHdrs.com.