As the student-debt crisis continues to expand its depth and reach in the economy, some people are resorting to desperate measures to pay their loans.
Perhaps the most striking example we’ve seen so far is women selling their eggs. Interestingly, it’s referred to as a “donation,” but in reality it can earn these women thousands of dollars.
As this Salon article points out, the appeal is significant — one woman reportedly earned $60,000 over the course of seven procedures. But the downsides are not to be ignored. Women, sometimes uniformed of the potential consequences, can face severe health problems and even painful visits to the emergency room. With the greater earnings from each additional procedure comes greater risk.
Like the student-debt crisis overall being a uniquely American problem, so is this trend toward women battling it by selling their eggs. As the writer of the article discovered:
The United States emerges in my study as the only country where women in their 20s feel compelled to make medical decisions with life-long implications to reduce or eliminate the affliction of student debt.
Scholarships for people out of college and in student debt will not alone solve this crisis. But they would go a long way toward helping women such as these avoid personal risk in a desperate attempt to stay financially afloat.
Note: This article doesn’t address the parallel situation of men “donating” their sperm. While we can’t speak to the writer’s intent, it’s fair to guess that this is not an untold story because (a) the money to be earned is very little in comparison and (b) the health risks are nonexistent.