Dr. K and her Patients in the News
Donor eggs helping infertile women get pregnant-KHOU Channel 11 NEWS
05:38 PM CST on Monday, February 21, 2005
By Dr. Karen Johnson / 11 News--Click Here for Video
For some
woman, trying to have a baby after the age of 40 can be challenging.
But donor eggs can help previously infertile women get pregnant.
Her name is Kayden and she's 4 months old. Her mother Karen delivered her after 10 years of infertility using a donor's egg.
"We talked about adoption, but I really wanted the
experience of being able to carry the child and to give birth and all
that and so when she said egg donor we didn't even blink," said Karen
Nickel.
The journey to Kayden's birth was a long one. First
Karen tried in vitro fertilization using her own eggs three times. She
then tried using anonymous donor eggs implanted with her husband's
sperm three times before becoming pregnant with Kayden.
"The ideal couple that should consider egg donation
is a couple where the woman has a healthy uterus. However, the
fertility problem has to do with egg quality which unfortunately is
usually over age 40," said Dr. Sonja Kristiansen, reproductive
endocrinologist.
Dr. Kristiansen said for older couples, in vitro fertilization with donated eggs can have a much higher chance of success.
Sabrina Engle was not the Nickels' egg donor, but she has donated her eggs six times to other couples who are anonymous to her.
"It's just absolutely wonderful, especially if you've
had a child. You know what it's like -- how beautiful and wonderful
they are just to bring that to someone else is just amazing, absolutely
amazing," said Engle.
For Cliff Nickel his firstborn is a dream come true.
"It's a great feeling to come home and see her and get her up in the
morning. That's the exciting part. She is just all smiles in the
morning. It's a dream come true," she said.