Looking to make some quick cash? You can legally sell these 5 body parts, fluids in WA
Have you ever been so tight on money that it felt like buying groceries cost an arm and a leg? Maybe you’ve been so tight on money that you’ve thought about selling an arm or a leg.
In reality, you can make money from certain physical body parts and bodily fluids.
It should be noted that legally selling body parts is technically considered a donation, but usually involve some kind of monetary compensation. It is illegal to sell or purchase organs in the U.S., but it is legal to sell other body parts, such as plasma.
If you’re looking to make a quick buck or are just curious about what body parts you can sell and how much you can make from it, then read on. Below are five body parts or bodily fluids that you can legally sell in Washington state.
Which body parts are legal to sell?
Below are five body parts or bodily fluids that you can legally sell in Washington.
Plasma
Blood is made up of four main components: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. Plasma is a white yellow liquid that takes nutrients, hormones, and proteins to the parts of the body that need it. Plasma also makes up 55% of blood.
The process of donating plasma is different than donating blood. During the donation process, blood is drawn from the arm and sent through a machine that separates the plasma from the other blood components and then the rest of your blood is returned back to you.
According to Donatingplasma.org, plasma is used to treat people suffering from trauma, shock, burns and other emergencies as well as to produce therapies that treat people with rare, chronic diseases and disorders such as primary immunodeficiency, hemophilia and a genetic lung disease.
Monetary compensation for plasma donations is dependent on the donation center.
Donation centers in WA:
- PlasmaLab - up to $185 per donation
- CSL Plasma - up to $100 on your first donation or up to $700 in your first month.
- BioLife - up to $800
Eggs
If you’re a woman that is able to and willing to donate your eggs, this could be your way of making some serious cash. But be warned, the donation process can be very long and invasive.
In order to be eligible to donate, you must be between the ages of 21 and 29, healthy, be a non-smoker and must go through a strenuous screening process. Eligible women will go through a process that involves injecting fertility drugs to stimulate the ovaries and will conclude with a surgical procedure to retrieve the eggs.
Women can donate up to six times, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
- Seattle Fertility - $8,000 - $10,000
- Pacific Northwest Fertility - $6,000 - $10,000
Sperm
The going rate for sperm is between $100 to $150 which means eligible men can make anywhere from $400 to $1,200 per month by donating one or twice a week, according to Pacific NW Fertility.
In order to become a sperm donor, men will have to meet specific health and behavioral requirements, which could vary depending on the sperm bank.
According to PNWF, most sperms banks will require the following:
- Are between 21-39 years old
- Are in good physical, emotional, and mental health
- Have high quality sperm (with good quantity, quality, and movement)
- Test negative for infectious diseases
- Can provide a thorough family medical history with no suggestion of hereditary disease
Donation centers in WA:
- Pacific Northwest Fertility - $150 per viable sample
- Bellevue Sperm Bank - $100 per donation
- Seattle Sperm Bank - $10,000 within six months
Breastmilk
Lactating women who produce more milk than is necessary for their infant can choose to donate their extra milk.
According to MultiCare, one ounce of donated breast milk can help save the life of a newborn with a weakened immune system that does not have access to a mother’s breast milk, which contains nutrients to support their health.
If you want to make some money from your excess milk, there are for-profit milk banks and Facebook groups such as the Washington STATE buy/sell/trade/donate breastmilk.
Donation Centers in WA:
- ProLacta Bioscience - $1.20 per ounce
Your womb
If you enjoy being pregnant or just want to help couples that are struggling with infertility, then surrogacy might be the right option for you.
The surrogacy process can take an average of 16-18 months and is split into seven steps, according to Circle Surrogacy.
The seven steps are as follows:
- Pre-screening
- Surrogacy Consultation & Screening
- Matching with Intended Parents
- Medical Screening & Legal Contracts
- Monitoring Appointments & Embryo Transfer
- Pregnancy
- Fourth Trimester and Postpartum
Surrogates are compensated every step of the way and receive pre-pregnancy payments, personal and home care payments, childcare and travel payments as well as insurance coverage on top of the surrogate base compensation that can average between $35,000 to $50,000.
Surrogacy in WA:
- Circle Surrogacy - $55,000-$65,000
This story was originally published April 5, 2024 at 12:55 PM.
