It’s safe to say most women don’t dream of the day they’ll decide to use assisted reproductive technology (ART) to become pregnant. However, after enduring infertility for years with no positive outcome, having alternative options like donor egg IVF gives hope to those struggling to conceive.
Once you’ve decided to use donor eggs, the next question is: which type of donor egg is right for you and your family? While either option will hopefully yield fruitful results, understanding the difference between fresh and frozen donor eggs (visit here for more information) is crucial to making the right decision.
Choosing a Donor
Trying to pick an egg donor is no easy task. However, the pool of donors to choose from will look quite different depending on whether you decide to use fresh or frozen eggs.
In a fresh donor egg IVF cycle, proximity is key. Your donor must reside in your local area or have easy travel access for necessary doctor’s appointments. With this fact in mind, the group of available candidates will be quite small.
In comparison, there’s far more flexibility and options when choosing a frozen egg donor. Frozen egg collections are readily available to recipients, and both donors and their eggs will have already undergone screening.
Understanding the Donor Egg IVF Process
Once a couple selects a donor, the physical donor egg IVF process will begin. In a fresh cycle, there’s significantly more involved. The reproductive cycles of both the donor and recipient must be perfectly synchronized to ensure a successful transfer is possible.
Alternatively, with frozen donor egg IVF, couples will only have to worry about the hopeful mother’s cycle. Frozen donor eggs will have been previously collected and stored using a progressive egg freezing technique known as vitrification. This process protects the eggs from deterioration and ice crystal formation.
Cost Difference
There’s a significant cost difference between fresh and frozen donor eggs. On average, a frozen donor egg IVF cycle will cost around $14,500. On the other hand, fresh cycles can cost more than $25,000.
When using a fresh egg donor, there are more expenses to be considered. Potential parents aren’t just paying for the eggs themselves; they’re paying for the donor’s time and effort. Some of the standard fees involved with fresh donor egg IVF cycles are:
- Doctor’s visits
- Labs and medications
- Travel costs
- Accommodations
- Lost wages
Donor Egg Success Rates
In past years, the primary reason so many couples chose fresh donor eggs instead of frozen were the success rates. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, current success rates between fresh and frozen donor egg IVF are nearly identical.
Upon collecting a frozen donor’s eggs, only those of the highest quality are kept for freezing and storage. When it comes time for the actual donor egg IVF cycle, these high-grade eggs will yield better results than lesser quality eggs.
An unfortunate difficulty with fresh donor egg cycles is the lack of guarantee regarding egg conditions. Until the actual egg collection procedure takes place, there’s no way of knowing what type of eggs will be retrieved. If the eggs are not of a particular class, the couple’s doctor will more than likely cancel the cycle.
Becoming a Family with Donor Egg IVF
Whether you pick fresh or frozen donor eggs, there’s one fact which is of vital importance. You’ll be taking active measures to become the family of your dreams.
Infertility is a disheartening reality. It can feel like a useless battle with no end in sight. However, it’s important to remember: there are always other options. Egg donation allows women to still experience the joy of pregnancy and delivery.
If you long to become a family, don’t lose hope. Weigh your options and decide which will take you closer to the baby you’ve been hoping for.
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