The Most Precious Cell in the World – You Have It with You

FaceTime, WhatsApp, or Messenger calls, sending snaps, posting a short video on Instagram, live streaming on Facebook – these are terms that most users of modern cell phones are familiar with. Nowadays, thanks to cell phones, you can also shop, make bank transfers, document your day, watch your favorite movie, and even monitor your health. Their sleek design and small size mean that we can have them with us almost all the time.

However, there is one more cell whose task is much more important. It is the egg cell, whose mission is to pass on life.

Egg cells are formed in a woman’s body during the fetal stage of life. Typically, it is stated that a girl has 7 million immature egg cells while still in her mother’s womb, and this number decreases to 700,000 by the time she reaches puberty.

Although theoretically, life can arise from any fertilized egg cell, unfortunately, in practice, it’s different. Nowadays, many couples suffer from fertility disorders. Despite long and difficult treatments, not all women dreaming of becoming mothers succeed using their own egg cells. In such cases, the only way out is the assistance of another woman. This assistance involves donating one’s egg cells, which are then used for in vitro fertilization.

Any healthy woman between the ages of 18 and 32 can become an egg cell donor. Throughout the entire process – from the initial application to the final stage, which is the extraction of the cells – she is under the care of experienced specialists. Besides the main goal, which is to help a couple wanting to start a family, the prospective donor also has an extraordinary opportunity to get to know herself – both emotionally and medically.

The donor undergoes a series of professional medical examinations. These examinations are a valuable source of information for her, especially in planning her own family. By conducting an Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) test, we determine the donor’s ovarian reserve. We examine her health status and check if she is a carrier of an infectious disease. Additionally, we perform genetic tests – karyotyping and screening for 33 mutations in the CFTR gene – to reduce the risk of passing on a genetic disease to the child.

Moreover, the psychological qualification ensures that the donor is a responsible person determined to help others. During the interview, the psychologist converses with the donor and conducts a psychological test to rule out the potential risk of inheriting a predisposition to mental illness by the child.