Thanks to Her Egg Donor, NC Woman Becomes a Mother

In 2022, Kahn attended a baby shower for a friend who “was becoming a single mother by choice,” she said. It was then that Kahn realized she was the only one in her friend group without children -- but not because she didn’t want them. At 43, the Durham resident wondered if she would ever fulfill her dream of becoming a mother. When she expressed her fears to her friends, “they all looked at me and said, ‘Just do it. Just make what you want happen,’” Kahn said.

Kahn met with her ob/gyn who recommended she use an egg donor. She made an appointment at a local fertility clinic but when it was time to pick a donor, Kahn didn’t feel a connection. That’s when she scheduled an appointment at the Duke Fertility Center. “I found out that the donor process at Duke is different than many other places, which was attractive to me,” said Kahn.

At Duke Fertility Center, egg donors only donate after they are chosen by a recipient. That’s because Duke works with fresh donor eggs, meaning eggs aren’t frozen on site for storage. Although 90% of eggs survive the freezing and thawing process, “sometimes frozen eggs don't thaw well, so you may purchase six, but only get five or four viable eggs,” explained Kahn’s nurse navigator Kim Briley, RN, CNIV. Briley serves as the point of contact for donors and recipients. She also coordinates with outside banks when someone wishes to use frozen eggs.

When using fresh donor eggs, a recipient chooses their donor and then a timeline is put together to ensure the donor’s eggs are extracted and embryos are created when the recipient’s uterine lining is thickest for implantation. Kahn preferred this method over frozen eggs. She also liked that Duke gave her all of the eggs collected from her donor. Other places charged for eggs in bundles of four, six, or eight. 

Kahn told Briley what traits she was looking for in an egg donor, and Briley returned with profiles, highlighting people who matched. One person checked all her boxes and even had something extra special. “I played rugby in college and so did she,” said Kahn. “Seeing that as a commonality was rare and I felt like it was meant to be.”

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After embryologists processed her donor’s eggs, Kahn had 16 embryos. Her doctor implanted one in an IVF procedure shortly after. “It was quick, painless, and an overall positive experience,” said Kahn. Best of all, Kahn became pregnant on the first try and her pregnancy went smoothly. “I worked out every day until two days before her birth,” she said. “I felt great.” She was 45 when she gave birth to her daughter, Jordan, at Duke Regional Hospital in July 2023.

Kahn encourages others who want to be parents to take action. “Having the support of my friends, family, and colleagues at work is so helpful,” said Kahn. “You’ve got to create your village.”

Though they’ve never met, Kahn is grateful to her egg donor for helping her realize her dream of being a mother. “I’m forever grateful to her for providing this life for me,” said Kahn. “How much joy it has brought me is an amazing thing.”