Maharashtra woman donates her eggs 37 times: What repeated egg harvesting does to a woman’s body
As the Maharashtra egg-harvesting racket comes to light, doctors warn how repeated egg donation can trigger hormonal imbalance, ovarian damage and long-term reproductive complications.
The case of a Maharashtra woman allegedly undergoing egg donation 37 times has raised alarm over the health risks of repeated egg harvesting, with doctors warning of hormonal disruption, ovarian damage and possible long-term fertility complications. (Representative image) The case of a woman from Maharashtra’s Ulhasnagar allegedly donating her eggs 37 times, following the reveal of an egg-harvesting racket, has raised troubling questions about the physical toll repeated egg retrieval can take on women.
According to investigators probing an alleged egg donation racket operating across parts of Maharashtra, the woman is believed to have undergone repeated hormonal stimulation and egg retrieval procedures over several years, far exceeding India’s legal limit, which permits egg donation only once in a lifetime under the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021. Police have alleged that financially vulnerable women were repeatedly recruited into the network, with some allegedly being paid small sums for procedures that carried significant medical risks.
Dr Prashant Bhamare, HOD and Director, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Navi Mumbai, says undergoing dozens of donation cycles is medically unusual and concerning. “Repeated cycles could increase the risk of ovarian cysts, hormonal imbalance and, very rarely, early menopause. The physical stress from frequent anaesthesia and procedures is also a concern,” he says. He takes us through what happens inside a woman’s body.
Why egg donation is a long-drawn procedure
Unlike blood donation, egg retrieval requires weeks of hormonal intervention, ovarian stimulation, sedation and invasive extraction. Repeated cycles can place serious stress on a woman’s reproductive and hormonal health, especially when performed frequently or without adequate monitoring.
What happens to the body during egg donation?
In a natural menstrual cycle, a woman’s ovaries typically release one mature egg every month. During egg donation, however, doctors administer fertility hormones over 10 to 14 days to stimulate the ovaries into producing multiple eggs at the same time. These hormones force the ovaries to work far beyond their normal physiological rhythm. This is called ovarian stimulation.
Once the eggs mature, they are removed through a transvaginal retrieval procedure performed under sedation or anaesthesia. While many women recover without major complications after a single medically supervised cycle, doctors say repeated stimulation can disrupt the body’s hormonal balance and place sustained stress on the ovaries.
Why are doctors especially worried about repeated cycles?
The central concern is that the female body is not designed for repeated, aggressive ovarian stimulation over short intervals. Every cycle involves artificially elevating hormone levels to force the ovaries to mature multiple eggs simultaneously. Over time, this may lead to ovarian enlargement, pelvic pain, menstrual irregularities and metabolic stress.
There is still limited long-term research on women who undergo excessive egg donation cycles because such cases are relatively rare and, in many countries, restricted by law. However, fertility experts caution that repeated ovarian punctures and hormonal stimulation may potentially affect ovarian reserve — the quantity and quality of eggs remaining in the ovaries — especially if procedures are carried out without sufficient recovery periods.
Some specialists also fear that excessive cycles may contribute to premature ovarian ageing or early menopause, although conclusive evidence remains limited.
What is Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome?
One of the most serious complications linked to egg donation is Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), a condition in which the ovaries react excessively to fertility hormones.
In OHSS, the ovaries can become swollen and painful, sometimes developing fluid-filled cysts. Fluid may leak into the abdomen and chest cavity, leading to bloating, severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and breathing difficulty. In severe cases, the condition can become life-threatening.
Doctors say severe OHSS may cause dehydration, blood clotting complications, kidney problems and fluid accumulation around the lungs. In rare situations, ovarian rupture may also occur.
While mild OHSS is relatively common and usually resolves on its own, fertility specialists say the risk increases significantly when women undergo repeated stimulation cycles too closely together or outside proper medical supervision.
Why does Indian law permit donation only once?
India’s Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 introduced one of the strictest egg donation frameworks globally by allowing a woman to donate eggs only once in her lifetime. The law was framed specifically to prevent medical exploitation and reduce repeated hormonal exposure among donors.
The legislation also states that donors should generally be between 23 and 35 years of age, and that only registered ART clinics and banks are authorised to conduct such procedures. The law additionally restricts the number of eggs retrieved in one cycle.
The stricter approach reflects concerns that economically vulnerable women could otherwise be pushed into repeated donation cycles for money, especially in an expanding fertility market where demand for donor eggs remains high.
Fertility treatment exists at the intersection of medicine, money and desperation. While assisted reproduction has enabled thousands of couples to conceive, weak oversight can also create conditions where women’s bodies become commercial assets.
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