'I don't want kids but have donated 41 eggs to help strangers start a family'

Having decided they don't want children of their own Yasmin Sharman, 26, has donated 41 eggs to help strangers become parents and celebrates the birthday of their "donor baby" every year.

Sharman initially decided to consider egg donation after feeling concerned about the lack of black donors.

They signed up with TFP Fertility to be a donor in October, 2016, when they were aged just 18.

Since then, Sharman has donated 41 eggs, which has since resulted in the birth of a baby boy to a loving family.

And each year the access support worker, from Islington, London gets together with friends to celebrate the birth of the baby.

"When I found out that my donation had resulted in the birth of a baby boy I was ecstatic," they explain.

"I celebrate the baby's birthday every year with my friends.

"I was so happy to see that there was a positive end to going through something like donation.

"It is more of a reminder and remembrance that I have helped contribute to something good."

Sharman describes feeling "happy and grateful" to be part of somebody's life in this way.

"Being able to contribute to a family that may have been going through so much emotional turmoil and knowing they have a family now makes me so happy."

Having decided they didn't want children of their own, Sharman decided to try and help couples who were struggling to start a family.

"When I first donated I was quite young, children were not at the front of my mind anyway," they explain.

"I am also openly gay so having children is something that would be difficult for me.

"That brought up the thought of what can I do for people who don't have the same choice that I do of choosing not to have a child.

"I would like to help different communities like the LGBTQ+ community and people of colour like myself."

Sharman started researching egg donation in London and having come across TPF Boston Place Fertility decided to book an appointment.

"When I walked through the door, I was nervous," they explain.

"There were a couple of patients waiting, but I didn't speak to them.

"Then I realised how exciting it was to know that what I was about to do could impact people just like them.

"The staff were extremely supportive, they were so lovely to me and made me feel safe," Sharman continues.

"They were there for me if I needed to call any time of the day - I felt so supported by them."

Before being accepted as a donor Sharman had a health check and medical history review.

"I was also asked about my reasons for donating and they checked if I would potentially be happy to be contacted in 18 years," they explain.

First donors have to inject themselves for 14 days to suppress their natural hormone production, before a second set of injections to stimulate follicle production.

A day or two before the eggs are collected, donors receive a hormone injection to help the eggs mature and then the eggs are collected during a procedure.

Sharman has now donated a total of three times - most recently in April, 2024.

“I find the process quite easy," Sharman continues. "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."

But Sharman does admit to experiencing a couple of unusual side effects.

“I do experience 'pregnancy' hormones," they explain. "If I see a cute couple on a bus, I’m likely to burst into tears."

Speaking about the reasons they decided to become an egg donor Sharman says: "I may have 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.

"I am hopeful that if more children are born with the help of my eggs they will reach out to me when they get to the age.

"It would be interesting and lovely to meet them."

Egg and sperm donation: the facts

The trends in Egg, Sperm and Embryo Donation report from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), reveals a dramatic increase in children born through egg, sperm and embryo donation over time.

The report shows that the number of children born with the help of a donor has risen considerably since the 1990s with over 4,100 children born in 2019 compared to around 2,500 in 1993.

Egg, sperm and embryo donation accounts for one in 170 of all births and for one in six births using IVF in the UK.

The HFEA defines egg donation as a woman going through part of the IVF process in order to have some of her eggs collected, which she can then donate to someone else's treatment, fertility research or training.

Women usually need to be between the ages of 18 and 35 to donate their eggs, although clinics may only allow eggs from an older woman to be used in exceptional circumstances, such as if you’re donating to a family member.

Before donation a woman will need to undergo certain health tests to ensure they don't pass on any serious diseases or medical conditions to the baby or mother. Some clinics also set additional eligibility criteria, including minimum and maximum Body Mass Indexes (BMIs), but it is advised to talk the fertility clinic about their process.

It's illegal to pay for either egg or sperm donation in the UK, but egg donors can receive compensation of up to £750 per donation 'cycle' to cover their costs.

Sperm donors can receive up to £35 per clinic visit to cover their expenses.

However, egg and sperm donors can claim more if their expenses for things like travel, accommodation and childcare are higher than this.

Neither egg or sperm donors will have any legal rights or responsibilities to children born from their donation and won’t be required to pay anything towards their care.

However, as a result of a change in UK law in 2005, children born from donations will be able access identifying details which can allow them to contact the donor in the future. If they do choose to make contact, it’s up to both the donor-conceived individual and the donor to decide if they want to have any kind of relationship.

More information for those considering becoming a donor, or using donor egg, sperm or embryos in treatment, can be found on the HFEA website.

If you are struggling with fertility, speak to your doctor about what options there are for you.

Additional reporting SWNS.

Read more about fertility

• How does the IVF process work and who is eligible? (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)

• Couple welcome baby after only retrieving one egg during IVF (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)

• Couple raise £8k in four weeks to pay for IVF baby after 12 years of infertility (Yahoo Life UK, 3-min read)