When deciding to use an egg donor, you want to make sure you have the best possible chance of conceiving.
This is where the discussion of fresh vs. frozen donor eggs comes in.
You may initially think fresh eggs are the better choice – this is often based on outdated information or myths surrounding the frozen donor egg process – but the benefits of frozen eggs often rival or exceed those of fresh. While there are many reasons why some may use a fresh egg donor, the choice to use frozen donor eggs deserves deliberation.
If you’re confused about the difference between frozen and fresh donor eggs, here’s what you need to know.
Are Donor Eggs a Good Option for You?
Before diving into the pros and cons of fresh or frozen egg donation, it’s important to determine whether using donor eggs is a suitable choice for your unique situation.
Regarding infertility treatment options, one great benefit of egg donation is that it works for many different people. However, there are certain individuals who might be considered better candidates for donor eggs than others.
These include those who are:
- Struggling with unexplained infertility
- Over the age of 40
- Diagnosed with genetic diseases
- Overcoming certain diseases, i.e., cancer
- Dealing with poor egg quality or low ovarian reserves
The best way to figure out whether donor eggs are a viable option for you is to make an appointment with your doctor for more information.
Do Frozen Donor Eggs Cost More Than Fresh?
One of the biggest advantages of using frozen donor eggs over fresh donor eggs is their cost. Fresh donor eggs are significantly more expensive than their frozen counterparts.
With fresh egg donation, you’ll not only pay for your donor’s medical treatments needed for their ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval procedures, but you’ll also need to cover costs like missed wages, transportation, lodging, and medications.
On the other hand, if you work with a reputable frozen egg donation company like Donor Egg Bank USA, these common expenses associated with egg donation have already been taken care of, significantly lowering their price. Further, many respectable frozen egg donation companies give you the ability to choose from various financial plans, so you can best accommodate your needs.
Is There a Higher Risk of Cycle Cancellation with Fresh or Frozen Donor Eggs?
Despite fresh donor egg cycles seeming like a reliable infertility treatment option, there’s a significant amount of risk involved in the process. For example, cycle cancellation happens more often than people may realize.
For a fresh cycle to work correctly, doctors must help synchronize the egg donor and recipient’s menstrual cycles. This ensures the recipient’s body is ready to receive the donor’s eggs upon collection. When a donor misses doses of medications, lab work, or doctor’s appointments, it can quickly lead to a canceled treatment cycle.
Comparatively, when using a frozen egg donor, the eggs have already been collected and are ready for use. Once the recipient’s body is ready for the embryo transfer, the thawed eggs are available.
Are Frozen Donor Egg Cycles Successful?
When egg donation first hit the fertility scene decades ago, eggs were stored using slow freeze technology. Unfortunately, this technique led to ice crystal formation and a breakdown of the eggs’ cellular structure.
Due to these factors, many doctors and hopeful parents became wary of using frozen donor eggs stored in this way.
Flash forward to now, and you’ll see the cryogenic technology being used today is significantly improved thanks to an innovative flash-freezing protocol known as vitrification.
Not only does this advanced cryogenic therapy prevent the formation of ice crystals, but it also ensures collected eggs remain in the same condition they were right after being retrieved.
Thanks to these exciting developments, frozen donor eggs now nearly mimic the success rates of fresh donor eggs.
Choosing the Best Donor Eggs for You
When it comes to solving your fertility problems, you deserve to have the best options made available to you.
If you’re considering egg donation, frozen donor eggs might be your optimal solution. Whether you’re interested in saving money, increasing your success rates, or lowering your chance of a canceled cycle, frozen eggs can provide the dependable and high-quality results you’ve been waiting for.
Starting a family isn’t always easy, but if there are ways to simplify the experience, why not give them a try?
