Fresh vs. Frozen Donor Eggs: Comparing the Most Important Factors
1. Success Rates with Fresh and Frozen Donor Eggs
Let’s get right into what matters most: having a baby! It’s important to research the success rates of your chosen fertility clinic and/or egg bank, particularly with frozen cycles, to make sure that the clinic is well equipped in handling frozen eggs.
Generally, using fresh donor eggs has a higher success rate than using frozen donor eggs.
The national average success rate (live birth rate) for IVF using fresh donor eggs in 2018 was 57.1%, according to the CDC and 49.4% according to Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART). As of 2022, the Donor Nexus fresh donor egg cycle live birth rate is 67.6%.
The national average success rate (live birth rate) for IVF using frozen donor eggs in 2018 was 44.2%, according to the CDC and 39.3% according to Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART). As of 2022, the Donor Nexus frozen donor egg cycle live birth rate is 48.5%.
At Donor Nexus, we are able to ship frozen donor eggs throughout the US (excluding New York) and internationally. In order to provide superior outcomes to our patients, we are selective in which fertility clinics we partner with and will only allow frozen donor eggs from our egg bank to be sent to the best clinics worldwide.
2. Cycle Cost
It’s no secret that there are many costs involved with IVF and donor-assisted reproduction treatments. When using donor eggs for IVF, frozen eggs typically cost less than fresh eggs per cycle. How much do frozen donor eggs cost? At Donor Nexus, using frozen donor eggs starts at $19,500 USD.
However, as stated above, it’s important to take the success rates of your chosen fertility clinic into consideration. If you end up needing more cycles with frozen donor eggs, the cost per birth may not end up being less than using a fresh egg donor.
3. Timeline
The length of time it takes from start to finish may be an important factor to consider, depending on your situation. Generally, using frozen donor eggs is quicker than using a fresh egg donor. A frozen donor egg cycle typically only takes 6 to 8 weeks whereas a fresh cycle takes 2 to 4 months.
Traditionally, a fresh donor egg cycle would require the egg donor and recipient to take specific hormones to synchronize their menstrual cycles to ensure that the recipient’s uterus is ready for the eggs as soon as the donor has reached ovulation. Nowadays, only a small portion of recipients have a fresh transfer. Most clinics cycle the egg donor, create embryos, and freeze the good embryos before starting the recipient mother or gestational carrier (GC) on medications. However, the timeline is longer because a fresh egg donor cycle requires the donor to complete her prescreening evaluations (which generally takes 1-2 months) before starting her stimulation medications to retrieve and freeze her eggs.
During a frozen donor egg cycle, the donor has already completed and passed her prescreening evaluations, taken the medications and completed the egg retrieval. This means there is less time spent waiting and the cycle can begin almost immediately.
Timeline for Egg Banking:
If you select a fresh egg donor for egg banking, the process may take a bit longer since the egg donor will need to be screened and complete an egg retrieval cycle. Usually the process takes 3-5 months from the time you select the egg donor to when the eggs arrive at your designated fertility clinic.
4. Cycle Completion
It’s important to note that frozen donor egg cycles are more straightforward and have less risk of delay or cancellation than fresh donor egg cycles. When choosing a fresh egg donor, there are many external factors that could cause delays or cancellation of the cycle. These unforeseen scenarios, although rare, can and do occur:
- Donor not passing prescreen evaluations
- Donor decides not to move forward
- Donor not genetically compatible with the designated sperm provider
- Donor has a cyst on her ovary which delays the cycle
- Donor gets COVID and has to cancel
- Donor does not respond well to cycle medications
- Donor fails to take the trigger shot at the right time
With a frozen donor egg cycle, the donor’s work is already done. Since she has already successfully gone through the egg donation cycle and retrieval, there is no need to worry about the above external factors. From our experience, about 20% of egg donors do not make it through the screening process.
5. Amount of Eggs
Generally, selecting a fresh egg donor cycle will provide the intended parent(s) with a larger amount of eggs than a frozen donor egg cycle. This is because in a fresh one-to-one cycle, the intended parent(s) receive all of the eggs retrieved. The average number of eggs retrieved in one cycle is 24, with 21 being mature, usable eggs. Surplus embryos can be frozen and stored for future use, donated to be used by other patients, or discarded.
The amount of frozen donor eggs received per cycle depends on the agency or clinic. At Donor Nexus, our Frozen Donor Egg Cycles include a cohort of 6 mature eggs. If the donor has more eggs available and the recipient is interested, more eggs may be shipped.
Additional Information on Donor Nexus’ Fresh and Frozen Donor Egg Programs
Fresh Donor Egg Cycles
As the traditional route, IVF using fresh donor eggs generally provides the intended parent(s) with a wider selection of egg donors and program options. At Donor Nexus, we offer fresh one-to-one egg donation cycles.
In a one-to-one cycle, the intended parent(s) receive all the eggs retrieved from the donor. As stated earlier, the average number of eggs retrieved in one cycle is 24, with 21 being mature, usable eggs.
Frozen Donor Egg Cycles
In an IVF cycle with frozen donor eggs, the intended parent(s) will typically choose an egg donor who has already had her eggs retrieved and cryopreserved. Unlike most agencies, Donor Nexus aims to accommodate intended parent(s) by providing an option for egg banking. Egg banking allows the intended parent(s) to choose a fresh egg donor to freeze her eggs to be used for the frozen donor egg cycle.
At Donor Nexus, the number of frozen donor eggs shipped are dependent on the number of donor eggs available and the number of eggs you request. Most of our frozen egg donors have 10-20 frozen donor eggs available. Additionally, we are able to ship the cohort of frozen donor eggs throughout the United States (excluding New York) and internationally. Once the eggs are received by your IVF clinic, they will handle the thawing process before fertilization and transfer.
Choosing What’s Best For You
Ultimately, choosing between fresh or frozen donor eggs is dependent on your specific situation. If you are unsure which is best for you, we recommend consulting with your IVF physician. We hope you found this comparison helpful in understanding fresh vs frozen egg donors. If you have any additional questions, our team is here to help.
Find Additional Resources and Inspiration in the Donor Nexus Blog
- Donor Nexus Egg Bank (DNEB): Program Overview
- Epigenetics Using Donor Eggs: The Amazing Connection Between Birth Mother and Baby
- Should I Use Donor Eggs? A DEIVF Mama Shares Her Experience
- Anonymous vs. Open Egg Donation (and the "In-Between" Options)
- 4 Tips on Choosing an Egg Donor From A Mother Via Donor Eggs
The information provided in this blog is intended to provide a generalized overview and is not to be considered medical advice. Please consult with your physician for actual medical advice specific to you.