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Confessions of a Serial Egg Donor author Julia Derek
By Daniel Robert Epstein
Apr 27, 2005
Sweden native Julia Derek had quite the harrowing experience when she responded to one of those ubiquitous ads asking women to donate their eggs for cash. On top of her major health problems as a result of the injections of hormones then on top of that, Rosa, her representative at the donation agency turned out to be very corrupt.
Now Derek has self published the book Confessions of a Serial Egg Donor to tell her story.
Check out the official site for Confessions of a Serial Egg Donor
Daniel Robert Epstein: When I first read about the book I figured you were a reporter, and then of course I read your book and saw you were the serial egg donor. Was this a difficult book for you to write?
Julia Derek: A little bit. I’ve written three books before Confessions so this one was difficult because it was about me. It’s hard to be objective about yourself. I had friends edit the book with me because I wasn’t working with a big editor. I had to distance myself from myself. It was hard to relive and remember those things.
DRE:
When did you first get involved with donating your eggs?
JD:
I found out about it in 1995 but I started doing it in 1996.
DRE:
What first caught your eye?
JD:
It was an ad that a private couple took out. Usually they have ads mostly in college papers.
DRE:
Do you think your situation was unique or do you think it happens to a lot of people who donate their eggs?
JD:
That’s a very valid question but I can’t give you a definite answer. After women read my book they will definitely be discouraged to do this. I don’t want to tell people what to do but I don’t think it’s a good idea.
DRE:
Do you regret what happened?
JD:
If I had known I was going to have problems I probably wouldn’t have done it at all. I’m not trying to change policy but maybe people should do more research regarding the health of the donor. Women that do decide do it should be very careful.
DRE:
Do you think it should be illegal?
JD:
No, I think the agencies ought to be examined because there is hardly any regulation right now. I don’t want the agencies to keep treating the donors the way they do right now. They can do whatever they want because it’s not regulated.
DRE:
Do you think there is a certain kind of person who ends up donating their eggs?
JD:
They have a certain personality profile because it’s not for squeamish people. It’s very invasive and a lot of work which is why they pay you so much. In general you take a lot of different types of shots, you draw blood and you have to go for ultrasounds. Then it’s actual surgery to get the eggs. Most of the times I did it they put me to sleep then they went into the ovaries with a long needle. It’s a very complicated procedure to become an egg donor. You kind of think you’re invincible because you don’t realize the risks you are taking therefore you are gambling with your health.
DRE:
Besides the health problems you had you were also dealing with a bad egg broker.
JD:
My story pretty much mirrors what’s going on.
DRE:
So is it common for egg brokers to be like her?
JD:
I’ve heard a lot of stories because I am in an egg donor online discussion group. Like in any industry there are good and bad people involved. All egg brokers are not bad people.
DRE:
But also someone that gets into selling a woman’s eggs is odd thing for someone to get into.
JD:
I think so too. For a time I was thinking of becoming her subagent because all my friends wanted to become donors. I have a very outgoing personality so it’s very easy for me to make friends. I can convince people to do stuff so I was thinking about becoming an egg broker but I couldn’t do it. I heard about a woman who had a stroke from just donating just once so if anything like that happened I would feel horrible being involved with that.
DRE:
Do you think you got taken advantage of more because English is not your first language?
JD:
I think she completely used me. This may sound like I am bragging but they want tall, healthy, okay looking, bright people and fertile. I was new in America and naïve.
DRE:
When did this business of women donating their eggs begin?
JD:
The first donation was in 1984 but the actual business started booming in the mid-90’s.
DRE:
Why did it start booming?
JD:
It’s a question of supply and demand. More women started postponing having kids and it is usually women in their 40’s who need donated eggs.
DRE:
Have women thanked you for writing the book?
JD:
It hasn’t been out that long. I am going to be speaking soon at Columbia University, FIT and other places. When I’ve spoken in the past a lot of people show up.
DRE:
What made you want to self publish the book?
JD:
I wanted complete creative and especially editorial control because all the agents and major publishing houses I dealt with felt that women wouldn’t be able to relate to me, which is bullshit. Women who decide to become egg donors don’t constantly think about their babies because then they wouldn’t do it which is the way I am. The publishers felt that women are all that.
DRE:
How has the book been doing?
JD:
Someone has bought the rights to turn it into a musical. We have written a contract and they have given me $2500.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Sweden native Julia Derek had quite the harrowing experience when she responded to one of those ubiquitous ads asking women to donate their eggs for cash. On top of her major health problems as a result of the injections of hormones then on top of that, Rosa, her representative at the donation agency turned out to be very corrupt.
Now Derek has self published the book Confessions of a Serial Egg Donor to tell her story.
Check out the official site for Confessions of a Serial Egg Donor
Daniel Robert Epstein: When I first read about the book I figured you were a reporter, and then of course I read your book and saw you were the serial egg donor. Was this a difficult book for you to write?
Julia Derek: A little bit. I’ve written three books before Confessions so this one was difficult because it was about me. It’s hard to be objective about yourself. I had friends edit the book with me because I wasn’t working with a big editor. I had to distance myself from myself. It was hard to relive and remember those things.
DRE:
When did you first get involved with donating your eggs?
JD:
I found out about it in 1995 but I started doing it in 1996.
DRE:
What first caught your eye?
JD:
It was an ad that a private couple took out. Usually they have ads mostly in college papers.
DRE:
Do you think your situation was unique or do you think it happens to a lot of people who donate their eggs?
JD:
That’s a very valid question but I can’t give you a definite answer. After women read my book they will definitely be discouraged to do this. I don’t want to tell people what to do but I don’t think it’s a good idea.
DRE:
Do you regret what happened?
JD:
If I had known I was going to have problems I probably wouldn’t have done it at all. I’m not trying to change policy but maybe people should do more research regarding the health of the donor. Women that do decide do it should be very careful.
DRE:
Do you think it should be illegal?
JD:
No, I think the agencies ought to be examined because there is hardly any regulation right now. I don’t want the agencies to keep treating the donors the way they do right now. They can do whatever they want because it’s not regulated.
DRE:
Do you think there is a certain kind of person who ends up donating their eggs?
JD:
They have a certain personality profile because it’s not for squeamish people. It’s very invasive and a lot of work which is why they pay you so much. In general you take a lot of different types of shots, you draw blood and you have to go for ultrasounds. Then it’s actual surgery to get the eggs. Most of the times I did it they put me to sleep then they went into the ovaries with a long needle. It’s a very complicated procedure to become an egg donor. You kind of think you’re invincible because you don’t realize the risks you are taking therefore you are gambling with your health.
DRE:
Besides the health problems you had you were also dealing with a bad egg broker.
JD:
My story pretty much mirrors what’s going on.
DRE:
So is it common for egg brokers to be like her?
JD:
I’ve heard a lot of stories because I am in an egg donor online discussion group. Like in any industry there are good and bad people involved. All egg brokers are not bad people.
DRE:
But also someone that gets into selling a woman’s eggs is odd thing for someone to get into.
JD:
I think so too. For a time I was thinking of becoming her subagent because all my friends wanted to become donors. I have a very outgoing personality so it’s very easy for me to make friends. I can convince people to do stuff so I was thinking about becoming an egg broker but I couldn’t do it. I heard about a woman who had a stroke from just donating just once so if anything like that happened I would feel horrible being involved with that.
DRE:
Do you think you got taken advantage of more because English is not your first language?
JD:
I think she completely used me. This may sound like I am bragging but they want tall, healthy, okay looking, bright people and fertile. I was new in America and naïve.
DRE:
When did this business of women donating their eggs begin?
JD:
The first donation was in 1984 but the actual business started booming in the mid-90’s.
DRE:
Why did it start booming?
JD:
It’s a question of supply and demand. More women started postponing having kids and it is usually women in their 40’s who need donated eggs.
DRE:
Have women thanked you for writing the book?
JD:
It hasn’t been out that long. I am going to be speaking soon at Columbia University, FIT and other places. When I’ve spoken in the past a lot of people show up.
DRE:
What made you want to self publish the book?
JD:
I wanted complete creative and especially editorial control because all the agents and major publishing houses I dealt with felt that women wouldn’t be able to relate to me, which is bullshit. Women who decide to become egg donors don’t constantly think about their babies because then they wouldn’t do it which is the way I am. The publishers felt that women are all that.
DRE:
How has the book been doing?
JD:
Someone has bought the rights to turn it into a musical. We have written a contract and they have given me $2500.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
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