Сan Egg Donation Cause Cancer?

1. 🩺 Myth or Fact?

Some women are afraid of becoming oocyte donors because they have heard that this procedure was associated with an increased risk of cancer. No confirmation of the statement has been provided; however, it doesn’t prevent the idea to be shared among people. So, let's see is this really the case, and does egg donation cause cancer?

Myth or Fact?

If you are in doubt whether egg donation can cause cancer, we can definitely state that there is no risk of cancer development because of the procedure. Scientists have established that the intake of stimulating hormones in ART (ancillary reproductive technologies) has nothing to do with oncology. So there is nothing to worry about.

As studies show, hormone therapy does not lead to an increased risk of breast or ovarian cancer. The treatment is adjusted to each patient individually; what’s more, before the prescription, you will be asked to undergo full medical examination. On top of that, biological processes like pregnancy have a positive effect on the structure of the mammary glands.For those worried about whether egg donation can cause cancer, we have prepared a list of important facts to be aware of.

• Egg donation does not create the risk of breast cancer, especially if the pregnancy occurs.
• Egg donation reduces the risk of cervical cancer due to in-depth diagnosis before the procedure.
• The repeated procedure of egg donation does not increase the likelihood of endometrial cancer.
• The conduction of egg donation and IVF does not increase the risk of ovarian cancer compared to cases when infertile women do not undergo the procedure.
• In cases of an already existing oncological disease, egg donation and IVF are contraindicated since hormonal preparations cause accelerated tumor growth.

Based on the above arguments, egg donation is a safe procedure, which doesn’t pose any danger to either a donor or a future mother. What’s more, this method annually allows thousands of couples to become happy parents.

Authors, contributors:

Alena Siwash

published: 06 June 2018
updated   : 19 May 2020

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