Donor Egg Usage Doubles As More Couples Build Families with Donor Eggs

Families can be built in many ways, and these days, more families are relying on donor eggs to have children. According to the CDC, donor egg usage has nearly doubled in the United States since 2000, increasing 80.5 percent.
To meet demand, an entire new industry has emerged ΓÇô egg banks. Donor Egg Bank USA is the nation's only frozen donor egg program to be developed through a collaboration of more than 100 reproductive specialists throughout the United States. Donor Egg Bank USA was created to assist fertility patients in their dream of having a baby with the added convenience of a quicker, more affordable treatment process.

Using donor eggs allows women who cannot produce their own viable eggs the opportunity to carry and deliver a child. During the process, donor eggs are retrieved from a donor, fertilized with a partnerΓÇÖs or donor's sperm, and then implanted into the womb of the waiting mother-to-be.

In the past, traditional egg donor methods required first synchronizing the donor's and recipient's menstrual cycles, and then retrieving eggs and transferring fertilized embryos. The necessity for synchronization results in significant time delays and uncertainties. In a traditional cycle, there is no guarantee the donor will pass the screening process as regulated by the Food and Drug Administration or have a successful cycle.

An innovative fast-freezing technology called vitrification has transformed fertility treatment capabilities, making the viability of frozen eggs nearly equal to that of fresh eggs. Today, eggs can be collected, frozen, and banked, making them immediately available to recipients who select them from a donor database. Using frozen eggs allows couples to pursue treatment immediately, without the uncertainties associated with traditional donor egg treatment and at a time convenient to their schedule.

A traditional fresh donor egg cycle can cost up to $38,000 and take up to 12 months to complete. A frozen egg cycle can be completed in one to two months for typically less than half the cost.

"Donor Egg Bank USA offers patients the same success rates as most traditional (fresh) donor egg programs, but the process is more affordable and much quicker," says Heidi Hayes, CEO of Donor Egg Bank USA. "We work with some of the most well-recognized physicians and centers in the fertility field to provide the highest possible success rates for patients."

"The ability to offer patients immediate access to frozen donor eggs has transformed the approach to family building through egg donation," says Michael Levy, MD, of Shady Grove Fertility Center. "Working with frozen donor eggs streamlines and shortens treatment while offering a significant cost-savings."

Using frozen eggs allows for a wider donor selection when compared to working with a traditional fresh egg donor. In addition, families who choose to use donor eggs through Donor Egg Bank USA receive the added financial security of a 100% Assured Refund PlanΓäó, which offers a full refund if the couple does not deliver a baby.