Donor egg banks have boomed in popularity thanks to advances in reproductive medicine, giving intended parents yet another option in family building. Here are some things to think about when deciding whether building your family through frozen donor eggs is the right choice for you:
1. The main appeal of frozen donor eggs is often the cost. Typically, a batch of frozen eggs is significantly less expensive than a fresh donor egg cycle. With donor egg banks, there are no extra costs associated with agency fees, legal contracts, and donor screening-the savings can be passed along to you.
2. Frozen donor egg cycles are logistically easier and faster because the ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval phases of the IVF cycle have already been completed. This means you can often have your embryo transfer occur much sooner than with a traditional fresh donor egg cycle. And, with donor egg banks, you don’t have to deal with the hassle of syncing menstrual cycles with the donor.
3. Similarly, donor egg bank cycles have reduced uncertainty, because you already know how many mature eggs are available in your egg lot. You also don’t have to worry about your cycle getting cancelled due to donor screening issues or a poor ovarian response. However, the uncertainty is far from eliminated with frozen eggs, because you still have the inherent uncertainties related to egg thawing, fertilization, embryonic development, and implantation. Less risk but not zero risk.
4. Donor egg banks typically offer frozen eggs in batches of 5-7 eggs. Thus, the chances of having multiple high quality embryos is reduced, as is the likelihood that embryos will remain for future attempts. If you are planning to have only one child, this can work fine. But it doesn’t work as well for intended parents who hope to have two kids from one cycle. This also means that egg banks are not a great choice for gay couples who want to form embryos using both of their sperm–these guys are better off with a fresh cycle that results in a larger egg yield to divvy up.
5. Egg banks offer varying financial packages. Some plans are designed to provide refunds or additional attempts following failed cycles. It’s very important to understand the terms of the financial package before you sign on with the program, so you can understand your financial risks. Read carefully.
6. Most egg banking programs operate under 100% anonymity between egg donors and intended parents. If you are seeking an open, or semi-open, relationship with your donor, then egg banking may not be for you.
Want to learn more about working with an egg bank? Contact us today.
