An Egg Donor`s Journey in Israel: Is that What We`ve Anticipated?

Background: The egg donation law specifies the conditions under which the donor is allowed or declined, as well cases in which ministry of health (MOH) exceptions committee has to be called in.

Aim: To introduce the difficulties and length of time an egg donor has to come through the process.

Methods: After a primary assessment, medical and psychological examination, the donor meets with the hospital`s approval committee. In a case of a donor who is considered with "no defined religion", the MOH`s exceptions committee has to be called in.

Results: Our donor have declared herself as "no defined religion" and we introduce the documentation to the MOH`s exception committee. The exceptions committee rejected the donor, because the hospital`s approval committee included a psychiatrist instead of a clinical psychologist, although former donation processes has been approved with the same composition. As no clinical psychologist is being employed at our hospital, we went out seeking for two psychologists one to evaluate the donor, and the other a member of the approval committee. After granted a second approval from the hospital`s approval committee, we turned again to the MOH`s exceptions committee, this time to be rejected in the claim of unsatisfactory detailing of the psychological evaluation. After about a year and a half of procrastination, the donor had been approved.

Conclusions: The Kupot Holim isn`t aware of the process of egg donations. The MOH`s exceptions committee`s requirements are exaggerated, unclear and are a cause for a significant delay in the process.