Egg donation has made it possible for countless parents who couldn’t conceive with their own eggs to become pregnant and have a baby. Donor eggs can be used in IVF treatments with mothers who have premature ovarian failure, diminished ovarian reserve, or not having viable eggs due to their age. Those who opt to use donor eggs presently have the option of choosing either a fresh or frozen eggs. Each has advantages and disadvantages, so making the right decision comes down to your unique circumstance.
At Elevate, we help you navigate the entire process while offering the most exceptional donor and surrogacy options that cater to your unique needs and wants so you may feel at ease when beginning the family planning process. Most of the team at Elevate has gone through some aspect of the process themselves and understands that our clients deserve the best of the best.
What Is the Difference Between Fresh and Frozen Donor Eggs?
Differences between fresh and frozen donor eggs begin with the timing of the egg fertilization process. Fresh eggs are fertilized in a matter of hours of being retrieved from the donor and are cultured for five days in an IVF lab until they reach a blastocyst embryo state. Then, they are frozen until the intended parent is ready for an embryo transfer.
On the other hand, frozen eggs are not fertilized immediately but are cryopreserved within hours of being retrieved from the egg donor. When the intended parent is ready to create embryos, the eggs are then thawed, fertilized, and cultivated to the blastocyst embryo stage.
The Pros and Cons of Fresh Donor Eggs
The personal decision to use fresh or frozen donor eggs comes down to your unique situation and your family planning goals. There are pros and cons to opting for fresh eggs, which may include:
Pro: Fresh Eggs Have Higher Success Rates
Even though frozen eggs are more convenient for family planning, fresh eggs have higher success rates, with over 66% compared to 54% after embryo transfer.
Pro: Fresh Eggs Have Multiple Frozen Embryos
In a fresh egg donor cycle, intended parents are granted all the eggs retrieved. Due to fresh eggs being more likely to result in a viable embryo, intended parents may have a higher number of embryos to work with. Even though it’s not a guarantee of a live birth, it provides options and may mean you have embryos to freeze to use later for a full genetic sibling.
Con: Fresh Eggs May Have Unforeseen Circumstances
When participating in a fresh egg donor, there are some outcomes that may not be able to be predicted. Like other medical procedures, there may be unforeseen circumstances that may delay or prevent a cycle from occurring.
Con: Fresh Eggs Require More Thoughtful Coordination
Even though coordination is something that is thoughtfully considered by the right egg donation and surrogacy agency, a fresh donor cycle entails cycling in real-time with a real person. Working with Elevate enables us to manage all of the necessary details so you may focus on the journey.
The Pros and Cons of Frozen Donor Eggs
Frozen eggs offer different benefits, such as reducing scheduling constraints and generally costing less.
Pro: Frozen Eggs Have Little to No Wait Time
While a fresh donor cycle takes a few months to complete, a cycle with frozen eggs may begin as soon as you select your donor. Additionally, there is no need to sync cycles like in a fresh cycle, so a transfer may be made more quickly.
Pro: Frozen Eggs Are Typically More Affordable
Cycles using frozen eggs are typically more affordable than fresh egg cycles, depending on the agency and selected donor.
Con: Frozen Eggs Offer Fewer Embryos
When working with frozen eggs, intended parents may expect fewer options in the number of embryos they can expect as the result of a frozen egg donor cycle. You may receive six to eight eggs in order to create embryos.
Contact Elevate for More Information Regarding Egg Donation
The decision to proceed with fresh or frozen egg donation is a personal decision. At Elevate, we are committed to helping you every step of the process and answering any questions you have along the way. We know how to make your journey seamless and comfortable, as every person on our team has either experienced an IVF journey themselves with donor eggs, donated eggs to a family, has been a surrogate, or worked with a surrogate. We know the care and occasional hand-holding needed during the sometimes challenging process because we’ve been in your shoes. Our team is always available to help you.
Our high client satisfaction ratings have proven us to be the top egg donor agency in the nation offering the most elite and caring services. Call us at (323) 933-8918 for more information regarding egg donation, or fill out our contact form.
