Egg donation is a modified form of IVF in which eggs from a third party donor are used instead of eggs from the intended mother. This may be done for a variety of reasons. Below, we will take a look at what an egg donor cycle entails, as well as what you can expect in terms of full egg donor cycle cost.

Reasons to Use an Egg Donor

Couples may decide to use an egg donor if the woman would like to carry the baby, but does not have enough eggs to do so. Egg donation may be considered if a woman has a decreased ovarian reserve or egg production cannot be successfully stimulated using medication. In some cases, it may be considered if the woman has a history of recurrent miscarriage but no cause can be identified. Less commonly, women with genetic conditions may use egg donation to ensure that the geneticabnormality is not passed on. It is recommended that people with a family history of serious genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, meet with a genetic counselor to discuss their chances of passing the disorder down.

Choosing an Egg Donor

For some couples, it is preferable to choose an egg donor who is known to the couple, such as a sister, cousin, aunt, or close friend. This has a number of advantages - for example, if there is a biological relationship with the donor and the recipient mother, the baby will be genetically related to the mother. It can also be a more affordable option, as well as an emotionally satisfying option for many women. If a known donor is unavailable, or if that route is not preferred by the couple, then the couple can choose to use an anonymous donor. Fertility clinics often recruit and screen donors, then help match them with parents. Whether known or anonymous, donors are carefully screened to ensure that they are good candidates. An egg donor must be:

• Free of serious medical issues
• Free of a family history of genetically-linked medical problems
• fertile as proven by blood tests and ultrasound
• Aware of the fact that they have no legal rights to the child
• Willing to refrain from drug and alcohol use for the duration of the cycle
• Willing to remain non-sexually active for the duration of the donation cycle

What a Full Egg Donor Cycle Entails

Egg donor cycles are basically a modified form of IVF. An egg donor cycle includes the following steps:

• Matching with an egg donor
• Screening of the egg donor, whether a known or anonymous donor
• Synchronizing the menstrual cycles of the donor and recipient using medication
• Stimulating the egg donor's ovaries using fertility medication
• Preparing the recipient uterus for pregnancy using hormone medications
• Retrieving the donor's eggs using a minimally invasive procedure
• Fertilizing the eggs in the laboratory
• Culturing the embryos in the laboratory for several days
• Transferring the matured embryos into the recipient's uterus

Full Egg Donor Cycle Cost

At IVF1, a full egg donor cycle costs $20,000 - $25,000, depending on whether a known or volunteer donor is used. Volunteer donors are typically compensated $5,000, but that number may depend on the donor's level of experience. Known donors are usually not compensated. If the couple cannot pay the entire cost of treatment up front, there are some treatment options available to help manage the full egg donor cycle cost. Options include patient financing firms, health care credit cards, loans, and traditional credit cards. Dr. Randy Morris would be happy to meet with you about whether or not an egg donor cycle is right for you. To schedule your consultation today, please click below and enter your information or call IVF1 at (630) 357-6540.