The main difference between egg donor agencies and egg banks is whether the donor eggs are fertilized before or after being frozen for later use. This distinction can impact your timeline, cost, and overall experience. For more information, be sure to check out our article on embryo transfers or contact us online to learn more about how surrogacy could be a part of your journey. Below, we'll dive into the specifics of working with an egg donor agency versus an egg bank. If you’re considering surrogacy, we’ll also explore how these options fit into that process.
The Difference Between an Egg Bank and an Egg Donor Agency
Although both options involve donors, the process and timeline can vary significantly depending on which route you choose. It’s important to consider your future goals when deciding between an egg donor agency and an egg bank.
Egg Donor Agency
When you work with an egg donor agency, you connect with a woman willing to donate her eggs whose been screened for medical and genetic disorders. This type of egg donation usually involves a fresh cycle, where the eggs are retrieved, fertilized and transferred within a week.
Here’s a brief overview of the fresh egg donation process:
Choose an egg donor. You will need to find a donor who passes the agency’s screening and meets your preferences. Important factors to consider include the donor’s age, appearance, medical history, personality and whether she prefers to remain anonymous. Retrieve and fertilize the eggs. During the egg retrieval, the donor’s eggs are collected from her ovaries. After the medical procedure, the eggs are fertilized in a laboratory with your sperm or donor sperm. Transfer the resulting embryos. If you opt for a fresh transfer, you’ll need to work closely with your fertility clinic to ensure that your or your surrogate’s uterus is prepared as soon as the embryos are developed. Fresh transfers require careful coordination.
Egg Donor Bank
On the other hand, a donor egg bank offers frozen eggs that have already been retrieved and stored for future use. These eggs can be thawed, fertilized and transferred at your convenience, giving you more control over the timing of your family-building journey. Egg donor banks can be particularly beneficial if you’re using a gestational surrogate, as it allows more time to match and prepare.
Here’s what the transfer process looks like with frozen eggs:
Choose an egg donor. Most egg banks have profiles of donors that you can look through. Depending on the level of anonymity, these profiles may include details about the donor’s medical history, physical characteristics, education and personality traits. Thaw and fertilize the eggs. Once you’ve chosen your donor, you can ship them to your clinic of choice. The frozen eggs will be thawed in a controlled laboratory environment when you’re ready to proceed. This process must be carefully monitored to ensure the eggs' viability for fertilization. Transfer the resulting embryos. Once the embryos have developed to the appropriate stage, they are ready to be transferred to the uterus. Whether you or a surrogate will carry the pregnancy, the timing of the transfer will be coordinated to ensure the best possible chance of success.
When considering fresh versus frozen donor eggs, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of each option. Below, we’ll break down the key differences in cost, availability, fertilization and timelines. Exclusive fresh donor eggs can cost between ,000 and ,000, according to estimates by Parents Via Egg Donation. Sharing eggs with others lowers the cost to around ,000, but it also means fewer eggs for your use. Frozen donor eggs are more affordable, typically costing between ,000 and ,000. This lower price reflects that the eggs are already retrieved and cryopreserved, removing the need for time-sensitive coordination. Finding an egg donor willing to complete a fresh cycle can be more challenging due to the coordination and timing required. Donors must align their cycles with yours or your surrogate’s, which can complicate the process. Frozen eggs are more readily available since they have already been retrieved and stored. This option allows for greater flexibility. Fresh eggs are typically fertilized and transferred within five days of retrieval. This approach aims to maximize the chances of successful implantation. You have the flexibility to fertilize frozen eggs whenever you’re ready. They can be thawed and fertilized before the embryos are transferred, or you can freeze the resulting embryos for later use and store them in a frozen egg donor bank. Fresh transfers are time-sensitive and require precise coordination. The woman undergoing the transfer will need to follow a specific medication regimen to align the transfer with her cycle. Cryopreservation allows you to bypass the tight timeline associated with fresh transfers. This makes it a popular option for surrogacy, as it provides ample time to match with a surrogate and prepare for the transfer.Fresh vs. Frozen Donor Eggs
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Success Rates of Frozen vs. Fresh Eggs for IVF
When comparing success rates, fresh eggs have traditionally been considered more viable due to their immediate use. Fresh eggs are less likely to experience damage, which can occur during the freezing and thawing process. This often leads to higher success rates with fresh transfers.
However, advancements in cryopreservation techniques, such as vitrification, have significantly improved the success rates of frozen eggs. Many fertility clinics now report comparable success rates between fresh and frozen eggs. This means that frozen eggs can be just as effective for in vitro fertilization and gestational surrogacy, providing greater flexibility without sacrificing the likelihood of success.
If you choose to use fresh donor eggs, be prepared for a longer wait, as the egg retrieval process must align with your surrogate’s cycle. Finding a willing donor for a fresh cycle may also take more time. In contrast, frozen eggs from an egg donor bank are readily available, allowing you to proceed with fertilization and transfer at your convenience. This can be a more straightforward option if you’re eager to move forward with your family-building plans.Using Fresh vs. Frozen Donor Eggs for Surrogacy
Get Started
We can help you find a reputable fertility clinic to create viable embryos using frozen eggs. Once you have embryos ready, we can assist you in matching with the perfect surrogate in an average of one to six months. This timeline gives you time to prepare emotionally and physically for your surrogacy journey. For more information about gestational surrogacy, fill out our short contact form or call 1-800-875-BABY.