The Market for a Yale Woman's Eggs - Essay Example

With these facts, Jeffrey Meeker was justified to say that he just could not understand why Jessica is so upset about being rejected and that her judgment as reflected in her commentary is just clouded by her sensitivity from being rejected.

From the very start, Cohen was immediately interested in donating. After she read an advertisement placed by Michelle and David in the Yale Daily News, she took note of the five-figure compensation as well as her suitability as a candidate. Without any second thoughts, she took it upon herself to send them a message asking for more details about donating, from which she emphasized, she anticipated a reply. I can just imagine Cohen checking her mail constantly, being frustrated at times when finding that mail from the couple was yet to arrive.

Perhaps, expecting positive feedback, she started researching about the egg donation process. It appears that she already entertained the fact that she will be chosen and is bracing for the eventuality. There was an elaborate narration on how she learned about the invasive medical procedures involved. Cohen became some kind of expert on the matter, adeptly explaining specific details such as menstrual cycle, the use of birth control pills, and Lupron, the synthetic hormone, in the procedures. (p. 194) In addition, she was able to find a community of surrogate mothers and experienced egg donors. She particularly took note of the “rewarding experience” suggested by one of her resource persons. (p. 194) Despite learning about the risks entailed in egg donation, particularly that of hyperstimulation of the ovaries that will result in hospitalization, infertility, and even death, she assured herself with the accounts of the rarity of these cases. And so, without batting an eyelash, she proceeded on corresponding with the couple, when they finally replied. She sent all that was required of her, personal information, photographs, her personal well-being, and so forth. What these demonstrated is the sheer will by Cohen to have her eggs harvested even if there is the possibility that it will threaten her life. Her conviction was so strong that it is improbable for her to change her mind at the last minute just because some stem cell debate is raging on the television or that the application process is too long and very daunting. Even at a certain point, after these variables were known to her, she still said “I keep dreaming about all the things I could do with $25,000.” (p. 195)

Cohen only started to waver or showed some doubts, as opposed to the previous indifference, when she was requested to send her SAT scores, an aspect in her life that she is not very confident about (at least in the context of David and Melissa’s ideal requirements). She started saying statements like “Even if Michelle and David liked my data, I knew I’d have a long way to go before becoming an actual donor,” “I had gone into the correspondence on a whim,” and “I realized that this process was something I didn’t want to be part of.” (p. 195) These statements were like defensive mechanisms or ways for her to cushion the impact of the looming possibility of rejection. It appears like she knew what was in store for her because, along with the terse “ho-hum” reply she got from David, she knew what it meant, that it was all over for her.

So, I can understand why Meeker was asking Cohen, what is the big deal? For the most part of the escapade, Cohen was all for it. It did not certainly appear as if she was doing it on her whim alone. She was very determined as depicted by her interest and actions. She suddenly had bad thoughts about egg donation when her application was on the verge of being rejected. Cohen, was indeed, just being sensitive because the couple is within their rights to refuse her, after all, it was their family, their expense, and their preferences that matter here, and Cohen very well knew all about it from the very beginning. So the best thing for her to do is just to move on because she just risked sounding bitter and hypocritical.