EGG DONATION: DO YOU NEED DONATED EGGS?

When couples aren’t able to conceive a baby on their own, it’s important to understand what is really going on. Whether the man has a low sperm count, or the woman has eggs that aren’t viable, fully understanding the issue helps us find the best treatment options.

If a woman doesn’t have eggs or good quality eggs, either due to age, a hereditary issue or a disease that has taken away her ability to produce eggs, she may need to look elsewhere for eggs to make a baby. Thankfully, this no longer means that she will need to adopt to become a mother. If you find yourself in this situation, understand that there are options to help you become the mother you want to be. Keep reading to learn about egg donation, and how you can utilize this option to help you conceive a baby and carry the pregnancy yourself, if your infertility is due to poor egg quality.

WHY WOULD SOMEONE NEED TO USE ANOTHER WOMAN’S EGGS?

Typically, women who require eggs from a donor have experienced:

• Premature menopause (ovarian failure)
• Absence of ovaries from birth (ovarian agenesis)
• Previous chemotherapy or cancer treatment
• Previous ovarian surgery
• Carriers of genetic disorders
• Inadequate response to fertility drugs in the past
• Poor oocyte quality
• Advanced age

WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF EGG DONATION AND BECOMING PREGNANT WITH DONATED EGGS?

Unfortunately, using donated eggs from another woman is more intensive and expensive than using donated sperm to conceive. Essentially, a woman who donates eggs goes through the initial process of IVF (in vitro fertilization).  The eggs from the IVF cycle can be used fresh or frozen.  More women are choosing to use frozen eggs due to the convenience of the frozen eggs.  The woman who opts to be your donor will need to undergo daily hormone injections, almost daily ultrasounds, blood work, and a transvaginal ultrasound-guided egg retrieval. The typical egg donor cycle will cost $20,000 or more.  Some women chose to share an egg donor due to the cost of the cycle.

The eggs ( fresh or frozen) are combined with your partner’s sperm to create viable embryos. These are then implanted at the optimal time for your body to accept them. The good thing is, that for older women, IVF with donor eggs can give you a better chance of conceiving. If you have been having issues conceiving, using donated eggs may make the difference for you and your partner.