Question 1

How Do I Find an Egg Donor for IVF?

Accepted Answer

For some recipient parents, their egg donor may be a family member or friend, but for most, she is someone they have yet to meet but who will become an important part of their fertility journey. When you are looking through our donor database, our egg donors share in their own words why they are donating their eggs. You can view photos and videos of them to help you form that personal connection. Not sure how to narrow down your list? We outline some of the most important egg donor selection criteria to help you find your best fit. Once you’ve found your ideal egg donor, you will see if there is a mutual match between you. If they are comfortable disclosing their identity, this can happen through a call or meeting, or through your own personal statement about who you are and why you want to grow your family. If both of you say “yes” to working with each other, you can then move forward in the IVF process.

Question 2

How Do I Find an Egg Donor?

Accepted Answer

Once you have chosen your egg bank, one of the most meaningful parts of your journey begins: the search for the woman who will contribute half of your baby’s biology! What selection criteria should you be looking for in an egg donor? Think about what is most important to you. Examples could include: Genetic carrier status, physical appearance/ethnic background, personality, similar values, donor type and relationship.

Question 3

How Does IVF With Donor Eggs Work?

Accepted Answer

IVF using an egg donor includes the following steps: egg retrieval, in vitro fertilization (IVF), embryo transfer.

Question 4

What Is a Good Number of Eggs Retrieved for IVF?

Accepted Answer

Typically, 10 to 20 eggs (or more) will be retrieved during an IVF egg donor cycle. However, your egg donation cycle type will determine how many eggs you receive. Fresh egg recipient parents receive all the eggs retrieved in a donation cycle, while frozen egg donations are usually divided into cohorts of 6. How important is the number of eggs for IVF? Quantity gives recipient parents more opportunities to grow their family now and in the future, but quality gives them their best chances at a healthy, successful pregnancy and baby. This is why Everie offers a one-blastocyst minimum guarantee per batch of 6 frozen eggs. If the eggs are thawed, and none develop into a viable blastocyst for embryo transfer, we will provide you with another 6 eggs at no extra cost.

Question 5

What Is the Difference Between Using Frozen Eggs and Fresh Eggs?

Accepted Answer

Fresh egg donations: Eggs are fertilized within hours of retrieval and developed into blastocysts over five days. Donors and recipients can synchronize cycles using medication for immediate transfer, or embryos can be frozen for later use. After transfer, implantation is confirmed in 9 days. Frozen egg donations: Eggs are vitrified after retrieval and preserved until recipients are ready. Once thawed, eggs are fertilized using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), followed by 5 days of blastocyst development. Embryos are then transferred, with implantation confirmed in 9 days.

Question 6

Does IVF Work Better With Fresh or Frozen Eggs?

Accepted Answer

Advancements in cryogenic preservation have made frozen eggs nearly as successful as fresh eggs for live births. Vitrification, a rapid freezing process, preserves about 90% of eggs after thawing, avoiding ice crystal damage. While fresh eggs offer slightly higher success rates and larger quantities per cycle, frozen eggs are typically provided in groups of six. A 2022 study found no significant differences in fertilization, viable blastocysts, pregnancy, or live birth rates between fresh and frozen donor eggs.

Question 7

What Is the Benefit of Using Frozen Eggs?

Accepted Answer

Frozen eggs may be the better fit for recipient parents who desire more flexibility and control over the timing of their family building. Recipient parents do not need to wait for frozen eggs to be retrieved or fertility cycles to be coordinated. Nor do they have to experience the frustration of a donor cycle being delayed or canceled due to poor egg retrieval or other unforeseen circumstances. Instead, the eggs are immediately available when the parents are ready to move forward with their family building. The recipient parent (or gestational carrier) will still need to prepare for the embryo transfer with medication, but she does not need to worry about synchronizing her cycle with the donor’s. This makes coordinating the procedure much more straightforward for the recipient parents.

Question 8

How Are Embryos Created?

Accepted Answer

To create embryos, the donor eggs will be fertilized by sperm in a lab – either that of the parent or a sperm donor – and monitored for growth. Fresh eggs are fertilized using conventional IVF methods and can immediately begin the embryo development process. For frozen egg donations, the recipient parents decide when the eggs are thawed. Once the eggs are ready, they are fertilized via an IVF technique called ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) in which a needle is used to inject sperm directly into the egg. The fertilized eggs are then cultured over the next 5 days, with approximately 30 percent to 50 percent successfully developing into blastocysts. The embryologist may conduct pre-implantation genetic testing to assess chromosomal abnormalities and, if desired, determine the gender of each viable blastocyst. Typically, one blastocyst is selected for the embryo transfer procedure, and the rest are vitrified for future use.

For Parents

Resources

For Egg Donors

The Medical Process for Parents

IVF With Donor Eggs

How Do I Find an Egg Donor for IVF?

For some recipient parents, their egg donor may be a family member or friend, but for most, she is someone they have yet to meet but who will become an important part of their fertility journey.

Egg Donor Characteristics to Consider

How Does IVF With Donor Eggs Work?

Egg Retrieval

Donor eggs are fertilized in a laboratory setting and developed into pre-embryonic cells called blastocysts over the course of 5 days.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Embryo Transfer

What Is a Good Number of Eggs Retrieved for IVF?

How Are Embryos Created?

To create embryos, the donor eggs will be fertilized by sperm in a lab – either that of the parent or a sperm donor – and monitored for growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

On average, 10 to 20 eggs (or more!) can be retrieved during egg donation.

Recipient parents can typically expect 30% to 50% of fertilized eggs to reach this stage of development.

The Medical Process for Parents

IVF With Donor Eggs

How Do I Find an Egg Donor for IVF?

For some recipient parents, their egg donor may be a family member or friend, but for most, she is someone they have yet to meet but who will become an important part of their fertility journey.

Egg Donor Characteristics to Consider

How Does IVF With Donor Eggs Work?

Egg Retrieval

Donor eggs are fertilized in a laboratory setting and developed into pre-embryonic cells called blastocysts over the course of 5 days.​

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Embryo Transfer

What Is a Good Number of Eggs Retrieved for IVF?

How Are Embryos Created?

To create embryos, the donor eggs will be fertilized by sperm in a lab – either that of the parent or a sperm donor – and monitored for growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

On average, 10 to 20 eggs (or more!) can be retrieved during egg donation. ​

Recipient parents can typically expect 30% to 50% of fertilized eggs to reach this stage of development.​

Donor eggs are fertilized in a laboratory setting and developed into pre-embryonic cells called blastocysts over the course of 5 days.

On average, 10 to 20 eggs (or more!) can be retrieved during egg donation.

Recipient parents can typically expect 30% to 50% of fertilized eggs to reach this stage of development.