What to Look For in an Egg Donation Agency

If you’re looking for an egg donor to help build your family, you may be overwhelmed by the options. Starting with the right agency is critical to make sure you are setting yourself up for success. But how do you know if an agency is good? And should you be working with an egg donor agency or an egg bank? Settle in, we have answers to all your burning questions!

Should I work with an agency to find an egg donor?

Working with an agency to find an egg donor is a great idea. Some people try to find an egg donor independently, but working with an agency or matching platform will likely make things go more smoothly. We do the work to recruit and screen the donors to increase the chances that you are successful. We also support families and donors through the legal and medical process, something that’s difficult to navigate on one's own. 

Benefits of working with an egg donation agency over an egg bank

There are multiple benefits of working with an egg donation agency (or with a matching platform like Cofertility) over a frozen egg bank.

First, most egg banks operate under anonymity. This means you don’t get to meet the donor before you match, nor is it easy for you or your child to reach out down the line. When making such an incredibly big life decision, we think it’s important to have the option to meet the donor first. 

Second, egg banks sell eggs in lots. Not only does this feel a little icky and transactional, but if you’re hoping to have more than one child, you may not have access to as many frozen eggs as you’d like. Frozen donor eggs are usually “sold” in batches of around six— which also means that your child could have even more half-siblings.

Third, evidence from a 2021 study that the success rate with fresh donor eggs is higher than with frozen donor eggs. Hopeful parents may opt to use fresh donor eggs due to the fact that they have a slightly better chance of successful fertilization and implantation the first time.

Lastly, the entire egg bank experience can feel dehumanizing and transactional. At Cofertility, we are completely rewriting this experience to be more human-centered. With our Family by Co program, egg donors freeze their eggs for free while donating half to your family. This gives families the opportunity to build their families via egg donation while helping the donor preserve their fertility. 

What to look for in an egg donation agency

We were appalled by the lack of transparency in the egg donation space, which is why we started Cofertility. Here are some things that you should look for, and how we are trying to stand apart:

• An About page. We think it’s important that the management team puts their reputation behind the company. You’d be surprised at how many agencies lack transparency into who is behind it and lack About pages! At Cofertility, we are creating the company we wished we had when building our families. You can learn more about us here.
• Affiliations. Is the organization part of ASRM, Resolve, and/or SEEDS? This can signal that the company is committed to high standards. Not only are we members of these organizations, but our Co-founder & Chair is also a board member at Resolve.
• Aligned incentives. Look for an agency that is only successful if you are successful. At Cofertility, we have a Baby Guarantee. We truly want to help you bring your baby home, and we will re-match you for free until that happens. 
• Clinical expertise.  A good agency will have clinical advisors helping steer the ship. At Cofertility, we work with world-renowned experts in fertility medicine and egg donation. Meet our Medical Advisory Board here. 
• Lifetime support. Is this a one-and-done transaction? Or will the agency be there for you after you pay them? At Cofertility, a match is just the beginning. We offer families access to educational modules, support groups, and communication tools for life.

What is the best egg donor agency?

At Cofertility, we are striving to give you the best egg donation experience possible. We believe matching with an egg donor should be a positive experience. It sounds obvious, right? But the largely unregulated egg donation market has led to some sketchy practices. We want to bring ethics and transparency to an industry where most agencies don’t even have an "About Us" page. 

If you're looking for an egg donor — either due to infertility, cancer, a genetic condition, or not having eggs (hi, gay dads!) — you may already feel like the odds are stacked against you. The last thing you need is to feel like you’re “shopping” for a human who plays a critical role in your family-building journey. And we’ll never make it feel that way.

We are honored that you are considering us as part of your family-building journey. Create a free account today to begin meeting our donors. And please reach out if we can be of any assistance!