Choosing A Proven Egg Donor
Sometimes fertility doctors may recommend selecting a proven egg donor for various reasons. The main advantages of choosing a proven donor are based on the donor’s experience; she has already completed a cycle so she knows what to expect and her body has already proven to respond well to the cycle medications and egg retrieval. With these factors taken into consideration, proven egg donors tend to request higher compensation than first-time egg donors.
Are Proven Egg Donors More Successful?
We understand that choosing a “proven” egg donor may feel like the more assuring option to you and/or your partner. However, based on our statistics, there is not a difference in pregnancy success rates between first-time egg donors and proven egg donors once the eggs are retrieved from the donor. A first-time egg donor does not have lower fertilization rates or lower pregnancy rates than a proven donor.
With that being said, it is possible that a first-time egg donor may not pass her prescreen evaluations before beginning the cycle medications. Donors may get disqualified for various reasons, such as having low AMH levels, a carrier status that is incompatible with the sperm provider (i.e. if both are carriers of cystic fibrosis), or a positive drug or STI screen. This is why we offer the First Time Egg Donor Guarantee, which reduces the initial risk of choosing a first-time donor.
Choosing A First-Time Egg Donor
Since all women who are selected for the Donor Nexus egg donor program are young and healthy, we encourage intended parent(s) to be open-minded when it comes to considering first-time egg donors. Although each situation is unique, it is not always necessary to limit your options to only proven egg donors. By l, you may be missing out on a first-time donor who offers everything that you are hoping for. We offer our First-Time Egg Donor Guarantee to provide you with a deeper sense of assurance in keeping your options open.
Why Intended Parents Choose First Time Egg Donors
Did you know that there are benefits to choosing a first time egg donor as well? Every donor was once a first-time donor, and below we share some of the advantages of choosing a first-time egg donor with Donor Nexus.
- Flexibility in Scheduling and/or No Waiting Time
- Since proven egg donors are often in high demand, it’s not uncommon for intended parent(s) to have to wait for their chosen proven donor to cycle.
- It is important to note that there are not as many proven egg donors available and oftentimes these donors are matched for a subsequent cycle while they are still in a cycle.
- Affordability
- First-time egg donors generally have lower compensation than proven egg donors. This means the overall cycle costs will be less expensive when using a first-time egg donor.
- Accommodating
- Most first-time donors are eager to get started and willing to accommodate the cycle schedule that works best for you.
- Broadening Your Search
- By including first-time egg donors in your selection process, you are broadening your search and therefore increasing the chances of finding a match that meets your most important criteria.
We’re Here to Help You Every Step of the Way
We hope this information was helpful to you as you navigate through your journey of choosing an egg donor. If you have any additional questions, our team is always here to help.
Additional Resources:
- Overview of Our Egg Donation Programs
- Open vs. Anonymous Egg Donation
- Egg Donor is a Genetic Carrier: What You Need to Know
- Does Egg Donor Blood Type Matter?