Donor Egg IVF

Donor egg IVF is a treatment option which utilizes eggs from an egg donor to help achieve pregnancy. In this case, a woman will donate her eggs to an intended mother. The egg donor undergoes ovarian stimulation to grow and retrieve multiple eggs. Using in-vitro fertilization, the donor eggs are then combined with sperm from either the intended father or a sperm donor to create an embryo. The embryo is then transferred into the intended mother’s uterus.

Fresh or frozen eggs can be acquired. Frozen eggs are usually acquired through an egg bank where intended mothers or parents can choose from previously frozen eggs. In a fresh donor egg cycle, rather than being frozen, the eggs from the donor are fertilized with sperm immediately upon retrieval and an embryo is placed into the intended mother a few days later.

Donor eggs are an important treatment option for women whose own eggs are not able to produce a healthy pregnancy. Some examples of women who may be helped with donor eggs include those with early menopause, advanced reproductive aging, prior cancer treatment, and women who have failed multiple IVF cycles with their own eggs.