Pregnancy may feel like a dream for a woman with any viable eggs, whether due to primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), also known as premature ovarian failure, or another illness or consequence. These women might have advanced maternal age, premature ovarian failure, numerous unsuccessful IVF cycles, or are menopausal or postmenopausal. There are also LGBTQ+ couples and individuals, especially same-sex male couples and transgender persons.
Using a donor egg to become pregnant is a personal choice that may not be appropriate for everyone. Let’s take a closer look at how to choose a donor egg so you can decide which option is best for you.
What Is a Donor Egg Pregnancy?
A donor egg pregnancy wherein the baby is conceived using donor eggs. The intended parent or parents select eggs from a donor egg bank to begin a donor egg pregnancy. The partner’s sperm or donor sperm is used to fertilize the eggs, which can be fresh or frozen. It leads to the development of embryos, which are then grown in specialized conditions in an IVF lab.
The embryos can subsequently be examined for chromosomal abnormalities and, if requested, the baby’s gender. The fetuses are therefore placed in storage containers until they can be implanted into the intended mother’s uterus to start the pregnancy.
How Do I Find an Egg Donor?
Utilizing a fertility center or egg donor agency is one of the approaches to finding an egg donor and will allow you to select an egg from an anonymous donor. Since there is a clearly defined relationship with the donor, this decision may be kept private. Some fertility clinics will allow you to see photos of possible donors before picking an egg.
Alternatively, you may get an egg from a close friend or family, for instance, your sister, that would give your child a genetic connection to you. Regardless of where your donor eggs come from, they must be tested for genetic disorders, psychological conditions, infectious diseases, blood type, and general health.
How Does the Donor Egg Process Work?
- It is necessary to synchronize your cycles with the donor via medications and hormone injections if you’re utilizing fresh donor eggs. Once your uterus is ready to accept the embryos formed from the donor egg and your partner’s sperm, your donor will undergo egg retrieval.
- If you utilize frozen eggs from an egg bank, they are ready whenever you are, and there is no need to synchronize your cycle with the donor. You are in charge of deciding when to thaw the eggs and transfer the embryo(-s).
Risks of Pregnancy with Donor Eggs
There are hazards associated with utilizing donor eggs, but they are minimal. Nevertheless, the main dangers of using donor eggs are:
- Unknown hereditary factors;
- The possibility of transmitting an STD (a sexually transmitted disease); however, this risk is minimal since the FDA requires all egg donors to be screened for STDs within 30 days of their egg donation;
- Certain pregnancy problems.
You should be conscious that even if the likelihood is incredibly low, there may still be unknown hereditary variables.
How Many Eggs Should Be Retrieved, Fertilized, and Transferred?
In most circumstances, fertility specialists will take as many eggs as feasible during retrieval. If the initial effort fails, it provides the opportunity for additional procedures.
Many people disagree on how many embryos should be transplanted in a single IVF cycle, which has been the subject of considerable controversy. In terms of lowering the chance of multiple pregnancies and other pregnancy issues, some doctors believe that transferring no more than four embryos each IVF cycle will produce the best outcomes. All four embryos, though, may end up implanting. It’s crucial to discuss these alternatives with your physician.
How Much Does It Cost to Use a Donor Egg?
Fresh donor eggs cost nearly twice as much as frozen donor eggs. Fresh eggs can charge you tens of thousands of dollars, with an average price of around $35,000. Then you’ll need to include all the extra charges, like those for numerous hormone injections, ultrasounds, blood tests, doctor appointments, the donor’s travel and accommodation, legal fees, etc.
Additionally, those costs rise if you require more than one IVF cycle to become pregnant. When you add everything up, the final price might range from $35,000 to $65,000.
Frozen eggs cost cheaper since all you have to pay for is the cost of the eggs, shipping, and any IVF charges that apply to you. Therefore, as several eggs are extracted during fresh cycles, your expense per egg (or per embryo) is often lower.
Are Donor Eggs Covered By Insurance?
Previously, insurance did not cover donor eggs, but more and more IVF insurance policies on occasion are beginning to include donor eggs. Always contact your insurance company to find out precisely what is and isn’t covered!
Telling Your Child
It makes sense that many parents want to keep their fertility journey private. Nevertheless, there could come a moment when parents would like to tell their child that they were conceived through an egg donor. A baby created with the aid of a donor egg may obtain this information via DNA testing, whether or not the parents want this information revealed to the public.
Scientific research suggests that children conceived by egg donation have great acceptance once this information is explained to them at the proper age, even if the disclosure itself may be stressful.
Overcome the Fear
Although you have all the information, you may hesitate to employ donor eggs for pregnancy experience. And how essential is genetics? The truth is that genetics is frequently a narrative. We use it sparingly to strengthen a storyline we have already made up in consciousness. Most people focus on facts that fit and disregard those that do not.
At Ovogene, due to our many years of experience with hundreds of patients and our expert knowledge, your chances of becoming pregnant using a donor egg are significantly high. Even if there are some hazards associated with each pregnancy, our team strives to minimize those risks by thoroughly screening our egg donors to increase the likelihood of producing healthy eggs.
