Part two in our series of discussions on psychological issues for Intended Parents.
Choosing a Donor
Once intended parents have made the decision to use an egg donor, anxiety can arise surrounding the donor choice. Â Every intended parent usually approaches the issue with ‘preconceived’ criteria for choosing their ‘perfect’ candidate – beyond the standard medical screening that is done, scholastics, personality, and appearance are usually at the top of their list. Â I empathize with individuals and couples as to how difficult it is to make such a big decision. Â It is important to remember that there is no rush in choosing a donor. Â It takes time to find the right match. Â Whatever the intended parents are looking for, I encourage them to get as much information as possible from their egg donation agency regarding their donor, while also trying not to ‘over-control’ the situation. Â Once one feels they have made the best decision, according to the information they have, then the challenge can be trying letting go. Â There are no guarantees in life, all of us who are parents usually begrudgingly learn that a lot more of life is out of our control than we would like. Â Parenting is about being able to handle all the imperfections that come with a child, whether you have your child through an egg donor or not. Â When couples do have difficulty containing their anxiety during this process therapy can help.
As the ‘screening’ psychotherapist, my process is analytical and involves assessing the donor for her maturity and ability to follow through with the process, as well as the presence of any major psycho-pathology (i.e. personality or mood disorders). Â An interview and psychological test are used to check for either of the two preceding elements.
- Brenda Fahn-Hardt M.S., MFT
Beverly Hills Egg Donation Staff Psychotherapist
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