That night I give myself an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin, which stimulates the final maturation process. Success rates with donated eggs have been increasing. Only three years ago, a 40 percent success rate was considered good. Technology has increased success rates to nearly 80 percent and all but eliminated problems with multiple gestations. But that still leaves 20 percent who suffer the cycle, only to have to make the decision of whether or not to try again.
Infertility remains big business despite concerns.
By and large, the field remains uncharted territory. Currently more than 350 infertility clinics in the United States operate with little oversight. Unlike the United Kingdom, practitioners in the United States need no special license beyond their medical degrees, nor are there regulations governing how procedures are performed. And no limit has been determined for the number of times donors can participate. The specter of regulation in the United States looms on the horizon even though many couples dealing with infertility are unconcerned about the risks.