When there is a strong desire to grow your family, the journey through fertility treatments can seem like a never-ending one. The good news is that there have been significant advances in reproductive technology in recent years. For example, with the streamlined processes of partners like Donor Egg Bank USA, donor egg in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment with the help of a frozen egg donor are more accessible than ever before.

With so many treatment options available to families struggling with infertility, it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. We believe that if you choose to undergo donor egg IVF treatment, you should seriously consider the convenience of using frozen donor eggs.

Why Treat Infertility with Donor Eggs?

There are many reasons why your reproductive medical team may recommend that you consider using donor eggs. Some of those reasons include advanced maternal age, low ovarian reserves, and a family history of chromosomal abnormalities.

As a woman gets older, so do her eggs. Fertility starts to decline naturally for most women somewhere around the age of 35. By the time a woman reaches her early 40s, there is only a slim chance she will be able to become pregnant using her own eggs.

For some women, there can be a marked decrease in ovarian reserves at a much younger age than is typically expected. Premature ovarian failure can be devastating to women who were planning a family of their own but are unable to do so due to circumstances beyond their control.

With the modern testing that is now available to us, it is possible for embryos to be pre-screened for some genetic defects and many chromosomal abnormalities.  Testing  may reduce the risk of disease transference but will not eliminate it.  In addition, testing is often costly and time consuming.   Donor eggs are less likely to have chromosomal abnormalities and donors who freeze their eggs for future use have completed genetic screening.

While the use of donor eggs is never anyone’s first choice, thankfully, it is a very successful option with high pregnancy rates.   Frozen donor eggs add to the convenience and success of this increasingly accessible and affordable treatment option.

Why Frozen Donor Egg IVF?

Though building a family is a unique, intensely personal experience that nobody likes to put a dollar figure on, the fact of the matter is that the process of obtaining a fresh egg from a donor can be extremely expensive. This puts life-changing fertility treatments out of reach for many families.

Even in cases where money is no object, the stars must align just right for a successful donor cycle when using the traditional method. In a fresh donor cycle, the donor could fail her pre-screening, become ill or have a personal emergency at a critical time. The chance for a successful donor IVF treatment is gone until the donor’s next ovulation cycle. The traditional method can result in significant emotional wear and tear on a hopeful family.

Fortunately, thanks to significant recent advances in reproductive technology, would-be parents now have another option. When choosing to use a frozen egg from a donor, much of the guesswork around the timing of the cycle is removed. The transfer can take place at the time that works best for everyone involved.  While anxiety may be reduced significantly, it is important to note that not even frozen donor eggs are fool proof.  We estimate about 4% of frozen donor egg cycles will not result in an embryo worthy to transfer.  Thankfully, our partner Donor Egg Bank USA offers a guarantee such that if you do not bring home a baby after six donor egg IVF cycles, they will offer you  a full refund.

In traditional donor egg treatment, pre-screening and waiting until the donor and recipient’s cycle are aligned mean a cycle can take as long as six months. It can take as little as four weeks to complete a cycle using a frozen donor egg because pre-screening takes place as part of the donation process, and it’s not necessary to synchronize cycles.

Additionally, when we partnered with Donor Egg Bank USA, the cost of completing a donor egg cycle dropped by approximately 25%, and we can now offer our patients a far larger selection of donors to choose from than we could before. These cost savings will come in handy when the newest member of the family announces their intention to join the Ivy League someday!

How do Success Rates Compare When Using a Frozen Donor Egg?

With your family’s desire to expand on the line, it’s only natural to wonder what the chances of a successful pregnancy are when using a frozen egg. Live birth rates from frozen donor eggs are quickly approaching the success rates of traditional egg donations.

Your fertility choices are extremely personal, and decisions are best made with your doctor and your family. Know that if using a donor egg is the right path for you, your options are much broader than they were even a few years ago. We wish you the best for a successful journey, no matter where it takes you.