Egg and embryo donation can provide new hope for many women in the United States, who are unable to conceive using their own eggs. Approximately 6.7 million women in the United States struggle with infertility. Many of these women have spent thousands of dollars on fertility treatment, but have unfortunately been unsuccessful in conceiving. Using eggs from another woman or embryos from another couple has provided many couples the chance to have a successful pregnancy.
For couples who choose egg donation as an option, there are multiple ways for them to obtain donated eggs. One option is for them to purchase eggs from an egg bank, such as Donor Egg Bank USA (https://donoreggbankusa.com/). Another option is to select a woman from an egg donor agency to undergo IVF for them. Donated eggs can then be fertilized by the male partner’s sperm and the resulting embryos can be transferred to the female partner’s uterus. If using an egg bank, the time from choosing an egg donor to having a pregnancy can be as little as 2-3 months.
Embryo donation involves using donated embryos from another couple, who successfully underwent an IVF cycle. IVF cycles often lead to the development of multiple embryos. For couples, who have completed their families, donating their remaining embryos allows them to help another couple who has been struggling with infertility.
At my office at Reproductive Partners in Orange County, we have helped many couples conceive using donated eggs and embryos. For our own patients who have had unsuccessful IVF cycles, we have a bank of donated embryos that are reserved exclusively for them. This has allowed many of them to achieve a pregnancy. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience to help couples finally start or complete the families they have wanted for so long.