If you’re struggling to grow your family, donor egg success rates can offer a much-needed sense of hope. Research from the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) shows that donor eggs can increase your chances of having a baby, offering higher average birth rates compared to using your own eggs. Donor eggs could be the key to finally achieving your dream of parenthood. In this article, we’ll go over IVF success rates with donor eggs, compare them to the success rates of using your own eggs and discuss factors that could potentially cause a cycle to fail. If you’re ready to learn more, reach out to us for more information about donor egg IVF.
Success Rates of IVF With Donor Eggs
A woman’s fertility naturally declines with age. If you or your partner is 35 or older, your chances of getting pregnant have decreased significantly. HFEA research breaks down the birth rates per embryo transferred when using your own eggs:
Age Birth Rates Per Embryo Transferred With Patient Eggs Under 35 31.3% 35-37 24.6% 38-39 18.7% 20-42 11.3% 43-44 4.5%
For this reason, many people turn to egg donors, who must meet strict requirements. They typically need to be between the ages of 21 and 34, be in good health and undergo thorough medical screenings. This ensures high-quality eggs and a birth rate above 25% across all age groups:
Age Birth Rate Per Embryo Transferred With Donor Eggs Under 35 32.8% 35-37 30.1% 38-39 30.5% 20-42 31.8% 43-44 33.1%
Comparing these figures shows that using donor eggs can greatly improve your chances of success. For example, if you’re over 44, using your own eggs gives you just a 3.5% chance of success, while donor eggs boost that to 27.5%. This variation could mean the difference between another failed IVF cycle and finally holding your baby in your arms.
When looking at success rates, it's essential to understand the difference between pregnancy rates and live birth rates. While many IVF treatments result in pregnancies, not all pregnancies will lead to a live birth. The data presented here reflects the success of carrying a pregnancy to term and having a healthy baby. When considering donor eggs, the focus should be on how likely you are to achieve that ultimate goal: becoming a parent.What Do These Success Rates Mean?
What Factors Impact Donor Egg Success Rates?
Several factors can influence the success of donor egg IVF, including:
There is a correlation between the age of the egg donor and success; younger donors tend to produce healthier eggs. Your overall health, including your uterine health and hormone levels, plays a critical role in how well your body can support a pregnancy. The quality of the embryo itself, which is determined by factors like the donor’s genetics and the IVF process, also impacts success rates.
Success rates typically increase with each IVF cycle. Research shows that after three transfers, the success rate ranges between 45.4% and 33.9%, depending on the recipient’s age. After six cycles, about two-thirds of patients will successfully have a baby. However, while additional cycles can improve donor egg success rates, they can also be costly. It’s important to work closely with your fertility doctor to develop a plan that fits your financial and emotional needs as you embark on your family-building journey.How Many Donor Egg Cycles Before Success?
What Could Cause Donor Egg IVF to Fail?
Despite the high success rates associated with donor egg IVF, it’s important to remember that it’s not a guarantee. Various factors could cause a cycle to fail, including:
Even with donor eggs, being of advanced maternal age can affect your body’s ability to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Conditions like fibroids or polyps can interfere with the implantation and development of an embryo. Certain immune system conditions can cause the body to reject an embryo, preventing a successful pregnancy. There are other factors that could play a role in donor egg IVF outcomes. Your fertility doctor will be able to identify these and help address them.
If you’ve experienced rounds of failed IVF due to any of these challenges, gestational surrogacy could be a viable alternative. Because a surrogate carries the pregnancy for you, you can overcome medical issues that may have hindered success.
Discover how surrogacy can help you fulfill your dream of having a family.
Using a surrogate can further boost your chances of success. Just as donor eggs help overcome issues with your own eggs, gestational surrogacy can help navigate challenges related to carrying a pregnancy. Surrogates, like egg donors, are carefully screened to ensure they are mentally and physically prepared to carry a healthy baby. Here’s why using a surrogate can boost your donor egg success rate: Surrogates must meet extensive requirements Surrogates are screened for optimal health Surrogates are experienced in carrying pregnancies to term Surrogates don’t have health issues preventing successful pregnancy Once you create embryos, you can get matched with a surrogate in one to six months. This relatively quick timeline can be encouraging for intended parents who may feel anxious about the journey ahead. Knowing that you’ll soon have a surrogate can provide a sense of hope and reassurance.Donor Egg IVF Success Rates With Surrogacy
Is Donor Egg IVF Right for You?
If you’re looking for a way to improve your chances of having a baby, donor egg IVF offers promising success rates. You may also find additional benefits in using a surrogate if carrying a pregnancy yourself isn’t an option.
We can help with the next step in your fertility journey, whether that’s finding a reputable fertility clinic or providing more information about your surrogacy options. Just fill out our online contact form to get in touch with one of our surrogacy specialists today.