At birth, individuals with ovaries are born with all (2 million!) of our eggs. As we age, our eggs age with us: our egg quality and quantity diminish over time. This means it’s completely normal, natural, and even expected for individuals to experience declining ovarian function after age 35.
The good news: donor egg IVF is a highly successful treatment available for individuals who do not have their own viable eggs. Of all fertility treatments, donor egg IVF has among the best success rates. The reason? Donor egg IVF uses eggs donated by young, healthy individuals who have undergone rigorous screening to ensure that only the highest quality eggs are cycled.
DONOR EGG IVF 101
IVF with donor eggs is often the next step for individuals without an adequate supply of viable eggs (due to age or other factors), who have a healthy uterus and are willing and able to carry a pregnancy.
Donor egg IVF offers high success rates for individuals, and a path to parenthood for couples without eggs of their own.
WHO USES DONOR EGG IVF?
- Women ages 35 or older
- Gay men
- Women who have undergone cancer treatment
- Women without ovaries
- Women with multiple unsuccessful IVF cycles
- Women experiencing early menopause or premature ovarian failure
- Women with egg-factor infertility
- Women with a family history of genetic disease
- Women with low response to ovulation induction
WHO DONATES EGGS?
National donor agencies maintain a roster of qualified and healthy egg donors. The young women who donate eggs undergo comprehensive physical and psychological screening, and only a small percentage of applicants are selected for donation. The identities of these donors are kept anonymous, but you do have access to detailed information about the donor.
Known Egg Donors
A known egg donor can be a friend or relative who chooses to donate her eggs to you.
Frozen Donor Egg Banks
The process provides immediate access to donors and eliminates the need for synchronization of the donor and recipient’s menstrual cycles. Eggs can be withdrawn whenever you’re ready. independence! certainty that your cycle won’t be cancelled due to a donor’s failed screening or unexpected life events. guarantees quality embryo transfer within a certain number of cycles. cheaper than fresh egg.
FROZEN DONOR EGG IVF
Boston IVF has a close partnership with one of the world’s largest and most reputable donor egg agencies in the world. This partnership allows our patients access to a wide selection of qualified, healthy donors to meet their preferences. These eggs have already been retrieved and frozen from pre-screened donors. They are ready to go!
This option is substantially faster and more convenient, and we typically recommend patients cycle with frozen eggs rather than fresh donor eggs.
A fresh donor egg IVF process begins with synchronizing the menstrual cycles of the egg donor and the intended mother – a process which requires both individuals to stay local to one another and can take 4-8 weeks. The entire donor egg IVF process takes 6+ months with fresh eggs. One risk to consider with fresh eggs is the chance for your donor to fail pre-screening, low ovarian response, or an unexpected life event at some point in the cycling process.
THE DONOR EGG IVF PROCESS
- Meet with a fertility expert at our Albany, Rochester, or Syracuse fertility clinics for your initial consultation
- Your fertility doctor will review your medical history, physical examination, and diagnostic testing
- Meet with our Donor Egg Coordinator, who will work with you to help you navigate the entire IVF process
- Select an egg donor, based on your own preferences
- Begin pre-cycle testing (uterine evaluation, hormone tests, infectious disease tests, and the male partner’s semen analysis)
- Once eggs are obtained from the egg bank, they are thawed and fertilized with your partner’s or donor’s sperm in our lab
- The resulting embryo is transferred into your uterus
- Two weeks later, you will return to our office for a pregnancy test
YOUR FIRST STEP
Whether you would like to schedule a consultation with a fertility doctor or just need some basic advice, don’t hesitate to call or email us!
