I'm a person of colour and I'm proud to be an egg donor

Yasmin has found their three egg donation procedures straightforward and fulfilling but they’re worried about the lack of black egg donors in the UK. They hope that sharing their story will encourage others.  

Yasmin's story

The first time Yasmin donated their eggs, they were still a student.

Now 26 and living in London, they recall how their younger sister was born at home when they were six years old.

They slept through their Mum’s labour and the birth but remembers feeling unnerved when they met the newborn baby. It made them question whether they wanted children of their own.  

Fast forward a dozen years, Yasmin was now studying at college and had a part-time job. 

As an openly gay person, they knew they never wanted a traditional family. But on a sunny day, sat in a park in London, Yasmin recalls chatting to a friend.

“We wondered if there was any way to have a baby without carrying it and giving birth to it,” says Yasmin.

“We said to each other, of course we can make babies – we can donate our eggs.” 

There and then, they Googled ‘egg donation’ in London and found TFP Boston Place Fertility just round the corner.

“It was the first one that came up,” says Yasmin. “That’s why I went for it.” 

After requesting some information via email, things happened fast. Yasmin was invited to visit the clinic. 

“When I walked through the door, I was nervous. There were a couple of patients waiting, but I didn’t speak to them. 

“Then it hit me. It was exciting to realise that what I was about to do would impact people just like them,” they say. 

“I'm so young and have lots of eggs."

Having given Yasmin a thorough health check and reviewed their medical history, clinic staff then invited them to an implications counselling session. 

Yasmin recalls, “I was asked about my reasons for donating and they checked I would potentially be happy to be contacted in 18 years. 

“It went super well because I am already happy for that to happen - and 18 years is a long time away.” 

Yasmin has now donated three times. They feel well looked after by TFP Fertility staff at Boston Place and knows they can ask them anything. 

“I find the process quite easy,” they say. “I self-inject two or three times a day, for eleven or twelve days, with medicines which stimulate my hormones and encourage my eggs to grow. 

“I do get pregnancy hormones. If I look out of the window and see a cute couple on a bus, I’m likely to burst into tears."

This is when Yasmin’s friends know to support her – they’ve come to anticipate the occasional mood swing.  

“Then there’s the egg collection process. It’s more straightforward than I initially thought.” 

Yasmin admits they was nervous about being sedated for the first egg collection procedure. 

“It’s not a general anaesthetic,” they say, “But you are asleep during the procedure. Once it’s finished, you rest for about an hour and then you can go home.”  

To date, Yasmin has donated 41 eggs.  

They’ve found out that one of their eggs resulted in the birth of a baby boy, who is now four.  

“I’m allowed to know his gender and date of birth and I celebrate his birthday every year with my friends," they say.  

“I'll donate again to help people of colour have families."

As an experienced donor, Yasmin’s aware that the process needs to fit around their work as a personal assistant to people with disabilities. 

“I work with two different people, both in the acting world, and I love it,” they say. 

“So, I need the time, but also the headspace to donate. And I’m most likely to do it if someone specifically asks for my eggs.” 

Through the years, Yasmin has had conversations with doctors and nurses about how cultural differences influence egg donations. 

“In the black community, it’s sometimes viewed as giving away a child, or at the very least giving away a part of yourself. This can put off people of colour from donating, as they may receive a backlash from friends and family,” they explain. 

“Perhaps that’s why there aren’t a lot of people of colour who donate.” 

Yasmin is keen for more people to talk about donation, so it’s normalised.  

“Despite the cultural challenges, I also know there are many understanding and supportive families, and I urge everyone to open up in conversations and see what their opinion is. It may surprise you!"  

Yasmin uses their own family as an example. “My Mum hopes I will have my own children one day but she’s extremely supportive of me. She thinks I’m doing a wonderful thing. 

“Being able to raise a child that reflects your own ethnicity may not seem like a big deal, but it is a privilege that white parents (who have received white donor eggs) get to benefit from. Meanwhile, people of colour get little to no choice.  

“The more we talk about it within POC (people of colour) communities, the more likely it is that the right information can be shared,” they add.  

Yasmin put their story onto social media to encourage other people of colour to donate. Many friends were curious – and one friend decided to donate herself.  

Yasmin reports, “She found the process smooth, and told me the only downside was a little bit of period-like pain after the surgery. She’s very happy she did it!”  

They conclude, “I made the decision that I don’t want children but at least I have the choice to help others.  

“So many people want children but don’t have a choice.”