Egg Donation

In conjunction with in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg donation makes it possible for women with poor egg count or quality to realize their dream of conceiving a child. 

At the Center for Reproductive Medicine, we screen and match those in need of donor eggs with those looking to donate their eggs, saving them the time and cost of working through an outside agency. We’re also proud to partner with MyEggBank of North America (MEB), the number one frozen egg bank in the US and Canada, to offer our patients a comprehensive database of vitrified oocytes. 

The IVF process with donor eggs

The process of donor egg IVF is similar to a frozen embryo transfer cycle. In both cases, patients undergo hormonal treatment to prepare their uterine lining, followed by careful monitoring and an embryo transfer. However, patients using donor eggs do not undergo ovulation induction or an egg retrieval procedure. 

Using Frozen Eggs

If the donor has already undergone IVF and had her eggs frozen then our patients have the option to purchase a cohort of frozen donor eggs.  Depending on where the donor’s eggs were frozen, either at CRM or at one of our partner clinics, patients will purchase eggs, and if they aren’t at one’s home center then MyEggBank will ship the cryogenically preserved eggs to the clinic, where they will be thawed and fertilized with the chosen sperm. 

Upon fertilization, the embryos will be frozen so they can be used in a Frozen Embryo Transfer in  the future where they will be transferred to the uterus of the person who has been chosen to conceive.

Using Fresh Eggs

Eggs in fresh cycles are fertilized directly after retrieval while eggs in frozen cycles are already cryogenically preserved from our donors and thawed and fertilized at a future date. Both options have the same cumulative pregnancy rates per patient.

Screening and matching

Just as egg donors are thoroughly screened for any medical and psychological factors that may jeopardize the success of the procedure or the health of the donor, mother or infant, donor egg recipients must be examined to ensure they are physically and mentally able to participate in the program. 

Ovarian Stimulation and Egg Retrieval 

Once cleared for donation, the egg donor undergoes ovarian stimulation using hormone injections to encourage the development of multiple eggs within her ovaries. This phase typically lasts for 10-14 days  and requires close monitoring by medical professionals. When the eggs are deemed mature, a minor surgical procedure known as egg retrieval is performed. 

In vitro fertilization

The retrieved eggs are fertilized with sperm, either from the intended father or a sperm donor, through in vitro fertilization (IVF). The resulting embryos develop in the laboratory for 5-7 days before being  cryopreserved. Later, the frozen embryos will be transferred to the uterus of the intended mother or a gestational surrogate.