Fertility

Your doctor told you that donor eggs are your best option for starting (or growing) your family. Now, you may be curious to know what the success rates are. Donor egg success rates can look high, which can be confusing when you compare them to some of the other numbers at play.

We broke down some of the numbers you’re likely to come across when looking at the different types of success rates. We explained what they mean and where they come from.

What are donor egg success rates?

What are your chances of having a baby with donor eggs? Depending on your individual circumstances, the chances of having a baby using a donor egg may be significantly higher than the chances of having a baby with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) using your own eggs.

IVF success rates are impacted by things like age, genetics, and other medical conditions that impact egg quality. Donor eggs may eliminate these factors. That doesn’t mean that IVF can’t be successful on its own (it can!); but, some people, especially those with low egg quality or quantity, will experience a higher rate of success if they undergo IVF with the aid of donor eggs.

Success rates at the beginning and end of the process

IVF is a multistep process, and each step along the way has its own specific success rate. It’s hard to account for all the variables that are possible with each donor and recipient; however, there are some consistencies. Please note: while these figures are well established, success is not guaranteed when it comes to donor eggs or IVF.

Frozen eggs retrieved from women under the age of 36 have a 95 percent survival rate after being thawed. This figure can present a huge relief for hopeful parents who are worried about the cost associated with obtaining eggs and fearful of the disappointment that could come along with not even getting past the first stage of the process. While those numbers are strong, they drop slightly to 85 percent when accounting for eggs that were retrieved from women over the age of 36.

And that’s not the only good news. Around 53 percent of all donor egg cycles will result in a little bundle (or in some cases, bundles) of joy that you’ve been dreaming of.

How are these numbers reported?

A division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that tracks Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) collects these statistics. ART covers all fertility treatments where eggs or embryos are used.

Most fertility clinics in the United States report their ART numbers to the CDC, which they then review and report. The CDC's most recent report was 2019’s Fertility Clinic Success Rates Report. This found that 2.1% of babies born in America each year are the result of ART. You can check out the Society For Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART)’s website; there, search for your clinic to find out how their numbers stack up.

Success rates at Cofertility

For those who match with a donor in our fresh egg donation program, the average number of mature eggs a family receives and fertilizes is 12. The number of eggs retrieved varies by patient and cycle, but can be predicted by a donor’s age, AMH, and antral follicle count, all of which will be known to you after the donor’s initial screening. Qualified candidates have an ample ovarian reserve for both their own needs and sharing. Egg share donors also often work closely with a fertility doctor to determine, based on their own medical history, the optimal number of eggs needed for their own future family-building goals. Should it make sense for the donor, they may choose to pursue a second egg-sharing cycle to maximize the chances of success for everyone.

Matching with a donor in our frozen program can provide the opportunity to move forward with your family-building plans faster, as frozen eggs can be fertilized or shipped to your clinic immediately or as soon as the cycle is complete. Donors undergoing frozen cycles complete equally rigorous ovarian reserve testing. While the total number of frozen eggs available will vary based on the donor’s retrieval outcomes, every frozen match is guaranteed to have a minimum of at least 6 frozen eggs.

To learn more about these programs and the differences between them, click here.

In 2023, Cofertility was named one of the Best Egg Donor Programs by Egg Donor Connect. That’s because we’re shaking things up and doing things differently around here. Our unique model has landed us features in FastCompany, Fortune, Women’s Health, TechCrunch, Business Insider, and more.

We take our jobs seriously, and would be honored to work with you on this journey.

How using an egg donor increases your rate of success

There are several reasons why you might find yourself considering an egg donor as you plan your family.

Poor ovarian reserve or low egg quality

If your doctor told you that you have a low egg count (diminished ovarian reserve) or poor egg quality, using donor eggs may help increase your chances of having a baby with IVF. This is because egg donors are generally young with a high egg count and quality. A reproductive endocrinologist (REI) also screens and approves donors.

Age

A woman’s chance of success with IVF is highly correlated with her age. This means, using a donor egg from a younger woman could increase your chances of success. According to the Society For Assisted Reproductive Technology, the most important factor for success when doing IVF, is the age of the woman.

• Women under the age of 30 have the highest success rate, at around 50 percent per IVF cycle.
• Women over the age of 40 have success rates that range from five to 20 percent per IVF cycle.
• When the oocytes—which are the eggs that will eventually be fertilized and become embryos—are retrieved from an egg donor (under the age of 33), those success rates trend towards the higher end of the spectrum.

Genetic disorders

Some couples carry a genetic disorder that they do not want to pass down to their children. If you’ve been diagnosed with such a disorder, you can use a donor egg to avoid having a child with that condition.

Premature Ovarian Insufficiency

Some women have something called premature ovarian insufficiency (sometimes called primary ovarian insufficiency) which causes the ovaries to stop releasing eggs and producing estrogen. Doctors may diagnose this condition in women under the age of 40.

Surgical or cancer interventions

If you’ve received chemotherapy for cancer you may have a lower than expected egg supply for your age. If you have had your ovaries removed surgically, donor eggs may be the only way you’re able to proceed on your reproductive journey.

Get more information

Just by doing this research, you’re already on the right path towards starting (or growing) your family. To browse our platform of incredible egg donors, click here.

When you decide to build your family with donor eggs, you’re forced to contend with a lot of unknowns. You may be asking yourself questions like, “what if she doesn’t pass her screening,” or “what if the cycle doesn’t yield any healthy embryos?”

These concerns are compounded by the fact that any fertility treatment comes with a hefty price tag. We know that IVF and egg donation are huge expenses for families because we’ve been there. While we can’t promise perfection, we have devised the most parent-friendly guarantee on the market. We hope this brings you peace of mind and shows you how committed we are to helping you build your family. 

Cofertility’s baby guarantee

While some agencies require you to pay extra to receive any form of a guarantee, Cofertility’s baby guarantee is built into our pricing. We want to help you bring your baby home, and we’ll re-match you for free until that happens.

What does this mean? If the donor doesn’t clear her screening… we’ll rematch you. If the cycle doesn’t lead to any blastocysts… we’ll rematch you. If none of the blastocysts turn into a pregnancy… we’ll rematch you.

In short, if at any point along your egg donation journey, something out of your control prevents you from bringing your baby home, we’ll re-match you for free or we’ll offer you a full or partial refund if you do not move forward with another donor. 

How our guarantee applies to fresh egg donation

When you match with a donor in our fresh egg donation program, you’ll put down a $500 deposit that places a five day hold on the match. After your kickoff call, you’ll sign a formal agreement with Cofertility and pay the Cofertility Coordination Fee. Both the deposit and the Coordination Fee come with our Baby Guarantee. 

The guarantee is detailed in your contract, but covers the following scenarios:

• The donor does not pass her initial screening, which may include her AMH being too low, failing a genetic screen or psychological evaluation, or just generally not passing your clinic’s donor criteria 
• The egg retrieval fails or is canceled, which includes your doctor canceling the round or no mature eggs being retrieved
• No pregnancy is achieved, which extends from the eggs failing to fertilize through to no embryos transferring or no pregnancies making it to a live birth

If the Baby Guarantee comes into effect with a fresh donor cycle, you’ll be required to pay the clinic expenses associated with your new donor’s screening and retrieval.

If you’re using a gestational carrier, this guarantee will also extend to her as applicable (e.g., the embryo transfer).

Why we don’t guarantee a number of eggs in our fresh donation program

Cofertility’s egg sharing model allows women to freeze their eggs for free when they donate half of the eggs retrieved in the cycle to your family. With Cofertility’s model, you’ll never pay the donor any cash compensation and you’ll benefit from a more collaborative, empathy-driven experience.

On top of this, very few organizations offer guarantee programs for fresh egg donation. And when there is a guarantee, it is typically a premium package that’s based on a specific number of eggs retrieved or embryos created.

At Cofertility, we understand that the number of eggs that you’ll need depends on you and your family-planning goals. For some, one cycle may yield enough eggs to grow the family of your dreams. Others may be interested in completing a second cycle, either with the same or a different donor.

Because of this, we wanted to rightsize our guarantee to fit all family-building plans. Our commitment to you is the same regardless of how you envision your family.

How our guarantee applies to frozen egg donation

When you match with a donor in our frozen egg donation program, the entire cost of your match comes with our Baby Guarantee. This goes above and beyond what you’ll find with any other frozen donation offering, which is nearly always limited to guaranteeing a single blastocyst or a single euploid embryo.

With Cofertility’s frozen program you are always guaranteed a minimum of 6 frozen eggs, though the number could be higher depending on the donor’s retrieval outcomes.

What’s more, if for any reason outside your control the frozen eggs that you receive do not lead to a live birth, we’ll rematch you with a new donor with an equivalent number of eggs for $0.

In this case, the only costs you’d need to pay are the additional shipping and fertilization expenses at the clinic. Put another way, if you received 8 frozen eggs that did not lead to a live birth, we’ll match you with a donor with at least 8 frozen eggs until you achieve the desired outcome.

If you rematch with a donor who has more frozen eggs available, you will be responsible for covering the difference in cost.

If you prefer to match with a donor in the fresh program, your Coordination Fee will be waived but you'll be responsible for the administrative and medical costs associated with her fresh donation cycle. Importantly, any administrative, medical or cycle-related fees paid to third parties or scheduled for payment (e.g., the donor’s genetic screening, donor’s travel to clinic) are not refundable once incurred.

Summing up our commitment to you

Building your family through donor eggs should be a beautiful experience, but that doesn’t mean that it will come without stressors. While we can’t control every outcome, we’ve worked hard to ensure that our guarantee protects you through every twist and turn. If you have any questions about our pricing or guarantee, please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Egg sharing programs exist worldwide to help make fertility care more accessible. Egg sharing generally describes when a donor undergoes an egg retrieval, and the resulting eggs are split between the donor and the intended parent(s). The family receiving the donor eggs pays for the egg retrieval and all associated expenses. 

In Cofertility’s Split program, donors can freeze their eggs for free when they donate half of the retrieved eggs to a family who can’t otherwise conceive. Families pursuing egg donation to build their family can match with an egg donor on our Family by Co platform.

Egg sharing programs provide an opportunity for egg donors to contribute to the fertility journey of others while also receiving a benefit for their own future family planning. In this guide, we will explore the concept of egg sharing and all the relevant information you need to know. 

What is egg donation sharing?

Egg donation sharing is a process when an egg donor agrees to donate half of her retrieved eggs to another couple or individual undergoing IVF. In traditional egg donation, the donor's eggs are exclusively given to the intended parents. However, in egg sharing, the donor has the opportunity to use some of the eggs retrieved for her own future family planning.

Egg sharing IVF

Egg sharing IVF is similar to traditional IVF in that the retrieved eggs are fertilized in a lab with the partner's or donor sperm, and then transferred to the intended mother's uterus. In egg sharing IVF, the donor's half of the retrieved eggs will be used for the intended parents, and the other half will be reserved for the donor's own use. Sometimes donors keep their eggs frozen for years, and other times they have them immediately fertilized and turned into embryos.

Egg sharing pros and cons

Pro: more affordable

One of the biggest advantages of egg sharing is that it allows for more affordable access to IVF for intended parents. Additionally, egg sharing can be a good option for egg donors who want to help others and also want to have the option to use some of their eggs for their own family planning in the future. 

Pro: less icky

Our unique model empowers women to take control of their own reproductive health while giving you the gift of a lifetime. Our donors aren’t doing it for cash – they keep half the eggs retrieved for their own future use, and donate half to your family.

Why is cash compensation problematic? A 2021 Harvard study found that 62% of donor-conceived adults felt the exchange of money for donor gametes was wrong, and 41% were troubled by the fact that money was exchanged around their conception. By allowing our donors to freeze their eggs as part of the process, our unique model honors everyone involved.

Pro: better for everyone involved

Our model empowers donors to preserve their own fertility, while lifting you up on your own journey. It’s a win-win.

Con: there are still risks

Egg freezing is considered a safe procedure. In a single egg freezing cycle, the risk of a serious adverse event is under 2.5%. Severe OHSS accounts for the majority of complications, occuring in 0.1-2% of cycles. The risk of other acute complications, including pelvic infection, intraperitoneal hemorrhage, or ovarian torsion, is small (<0.5%).

That being said, many women do experience minor side effects – like bloating, constipation, nausea – from the medications and egg retrieval. 

Egg sharing criteria

Our team screens donors through a rigorous, multi-step process to ensure each person is qualified and prepared to become an egg donor, going above and beyond FDA and ASRM-recommended screening guidelines. Before donors can be listed on our platform, we review their personal and family medical history and collect information on their lifestyle and behavioral habits. Most importantly, we meet 1:1 with every donor to get at the core of who she is as a person — her values, her goals, her personality. This allows us to provide you with the most thoughtful match possible.

Once you move forward with a match, the donor will undergo a physical examination, psychological evaluation, and full genetic screen. Your doctor will review these results and give us the green light to move forward. We will also ensure that donors are screened for background and education checks. 

What are the costs of egg sharing? 

The cost of egg sharing can vary based on whether you opt for a fresh or frozen donation cycle as well as other factors like the fertility clinic or donor's location. Unlike traditional egg donation, donors in egg sharing programs do not receive cash compensation, which can reduce your overall expenses.

For a more detailed breakdown of Cofertility's pricing, including estimates, you can visit our pricing page. All of our pricing also includes our Baby Guarantee, our promise that if for any reason outside your control your initial match does not lead to a live birth, we’ll re-match you for free until that happens.

What the data says about egg sharing

There is limited data on the success rates of egg sharing compared to traditional egg donation. However, some studies have suggested that egg sharing may result in higher success rates because the donor's eggs are being used in her own treatment cycle, meaning she may be more invested in the outcome. 

This study of 276 egg-sharing cycles concluded that egg sharing “provides a good opportunity for recipients and egg-sharing donors to achieve a live birth”. Specifically, the study found that by sharing (donating) their eggs with another family, the egg sharers did not reduce their chances of pregnancy and live birth.

“Those patients participating in an egg-sharing programme are providing a valuable resource of donor eggs,” the authors noted, “while not compromising their own treatment outcome or putting themselves at any additional risk of complications”.

At Cofertility, the average number of mature eggs a family receives and fertilizes is 12. Some intended parents want to do two egg retrievals with the donor which is definitely possible. We also ask each of our donors whether they are open to a second cycle as part of the initial application — many report that they are!

You can see how many eggs are retrieved in the first cycle and go from there. If, for any reason, the eggs retrieved in that round do not lead to a live birth, our baby guarantee will kick in and we’ll re-match you at no additional match deposit or Cofertility coordination fee.

Will I regret egg sharing?

Egg donors

While some egg donors report feeling a sense of pride and fulfillment from helping others build their families, others may experience feelings of regret or sadness. We have found that people who donate their eggs as part of an egg sharing program are less likely to feel regret. 

In fact, egg share donors usually feel that egg sharing was a win-win solution for donors and recipients alike. One study found egg share donors are happy with their decision, and 83.3% would donate again. Only 2.1% regretted their decision to participate.

Donor egg recipients

Ask anyone who has had a child, born with or without some type of assistance, and they will all tell you the same thing: parenting is the greatest - yet hardest - thing they have ever done. It doesn’t matter how the child came into their lives, the role and relationship of parent and child is the same. 

When working with parents who had donor conceived children, we have found their only real regret was they wished they had done this sooner. They wished they had let go of their preconceived notions that a baby who looks like them or who shares their genes is the only way to be a parent. That bringing a child into their lives using alternative methods means the child won’t see them as their real parent, or that they will not bond. 

Egg sharing programs near me

We work with families and egg donors around the world! Cofertility is unique in that we are clinic-agnostic, as long as the clinic reports outcomes to SART and has a CAP certified lab. Some clinics have specific requirements related to working with outside donors and have policies in place for how they handle those cases. If you already have a clinic in mind, reach out to our team and we can send a list of questions that we recommend you ask them before getting started. 

Best egg sharing program

We aim to be the best egg-sharing program, providing an experience that honors, respects, and uplifts everyone involved. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Human-centered. We didn’t like the status quo in egg donation. So we’re doing things differently, starting with our human-centered matching platform.
• Donor empowerment. Our model empowers donors to preserve their own fertility, while lifting you up on your own journey. It’s a win-win.
• Diversity: We’re proud of the fact that the donors on our platform are as diverse as the intended parents seeking to match with them. We work with intended parents to understand their own cultural values — including regional nuances — in hopes of finding them the perfect match.
• Baby guarantee. We truly want to help you bring your baby home, and we will re-match you for free until that happens.
• Lifetime support: Historically, other egg donation options have treated egg donor matching as a one-and-done experience. Beyond matching, beyond a pregnancy, beyond a birth…we believe in supporting the donor-conceived family for life. Our resources and education provide intended parents with the guidance they need to raise happy, healthy kids and celebrate their origin stories.

We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive. Create a free account to get started today!

Cofertility works hard to recommend products and services that align with our brand mission of improving the family-building process for all. We sometimes earn a sales commission or advertising fee when recommending various products and services to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Always be sure to consult with a doctor if you have any concerns. Prices and terms listed on our website are subject to change.

If you are considering using an egg donor to start a family, or have already done so, you may find it helpful to learn more about the donor egg parenting process by reading books on the topic. Reading books on egg donation can help you to understand the process of having and raising a donor conceived child. It can also help you to gain insight into the experiences of others who have gone through the process, which may be helpful as you navigate your own decision-making process.

Below is a list of some of our favorite books on egg donation – both for those considering using donor eggs, as well as those raising donor conceived children. We also share some of our favorite children’s books on the topics. Happy reading!

Best books for parents considering using donor eggs

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"Having Your Baby Through Egg Donation" by Ellen Sarasohn Glazer & Evelina Weidman Sterling

The book: Having Your Baby Through Egg Donation (Second Edition) is an authoritative guide to negotiating the complex and emotive issues that arise for those considering whether or not to pursue egg donation. It presents information clearly and with compassion, exploring the practical, financial, logistical, social and ethical questions that commonly arise. 

The authors: Ellen Sarasohn Glazer is a clinical social worker specializing in infertility, adoption, third party reproduction, pregnancy loss and parenting after infertility. The long awaited arrivals of daughters Elizabeth and Mollie inspired Ellen's work in the field of reproductive medicine. Evelina Weidman Sterling works as a public health educator and researcher specializing in reproductive and women's health issues. 

Why we love it: This book spells it all out – including the ethical and emotional aspects of egg donation. After reading it, you will be in a far better position to decide if this family building option is right for you and, if so, to proceed as a more empowered parent. 

"Donor Family Matters" by Wendy Kramer

The book: Donor Family Matters: My Story of Raising a Profoundly Gifted Donor-Conceived Child, Redefining Family, and Building the Donor Sibling Registry is the story of Wendy's journey as the mother of a donor conceived profoundly gifted child, Ryan, whose relentless curiosity—under the tenacious guidance and support of his mother— led to his reunion against all odds not only with his biological father, Donor 1058, but also with 19 of his donor conceived half-siblings scattered across the continent.

The author: Wendy is the Co-Founder, Chair, and Executive Director of the Donor Sibling Registry. She has co-authored many published papers on donor-conception, has reviewed abstracts for ASRM and has also been a peer reviewer for the journals Human Reproduction, Reproductive BioMedicine Online, Frontiers in Global Women's Health, and the Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research. She was Associate Producer on the Style Network's 2011 Emmy-nominated show Sperm Donor and on MTV News & Docs 2013 docu-series Generation Cryo. Wendy and her son Ryan have appeared on 60 Minutes, Oprah, Good Morning America, and many other news shows and publications.

Why we love it: This memoir provides a raw and honest account of raising a donor-conceived child as a single mother, and helping her son be the first donor-conceived person to find his biological father (donor) via a commercial DNA test, in 2005. 

Best books for parents raising donor-conceived children

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"Let’s Talk about Egg Donation" by Marna Gatlin

The book: Let’s Talk about Egg Donation: Real Stories from Real People tells true stories of families who are parenting via egg and embryo donation. Their stories are woven throughout the book to craft an informative, easy-to-read narrative that focuses on positive language choices.

The author: Marna Gatlin is the founder and Executive Director of Parents via Egg Donation (PVED), a non-profit organization created to provide an informational and supportive environment where parents and parents-to-be can learn and share information about all facets of the egg donation process.
Why we love it: This is the first book written by parents through egg donation that gives you age-appropriate scripts for how to take the scary out of talking to your kids about the special way in which they were conceived.

"Three Makes Baby" by Jana M. Rupnow LPC

The book: Three Makes Baby: How to Parent Your Donor-Conceived Child offers education and awareness so parents can guide their donor conceived children through various stages of development with age-appropriate conversations.

The author: Jana M. Rupnow, LPC is an internationally recognized fertility mental health expert and author. She received a bachelor of science from Texas A&M University and a master of arts, in professional counseling from Amber University. Jana has a master's degree in professional counseling and has practiced as a licensed professional counselor since 2010. Jana has helped thousands of people facing the psychological and social challenges of infertility as well as those preparing for third-party family building and adoption. She also knows what it's like to experience infertility. She and her husband had male-factor, secondary infertility and adopted their daughter from China. 

Why we love it: This book is often recommended by fertility doctors and fertility mental health professionals – and there’s a reason why. The author uses research and best practices to lay out solid advice for parents of donor-conceived children.

Best children’s books about egg donation

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"From the Start" by Stephanie Levich

The book: From the Start: A Book About Love and Making Families is an inclusive and heartfelt love letter to adopted children and children born through the help of fertility treatments such as IVF, sperm and egg donation, or surrogacy. The book focuses on hope and gratitude to highlight the special roles fertility doctors, donors, surrogates, and adoption play in helping hopeful parents start or grow their families. 

The authors: Alana Weiss and Stephanie Levich have been best friends since they were teenagers and are both mothers as a result of IVF. They have always been open about their fertility challenges and feel deeply grateful for their children and the extraordinary way they were conceived. Additionally, Stephanie is the founder of Family Match Consulting, an internationally renowned fertility consulting firm based in Los Angeles that specializes in egg/ sperm donation and surrogacy. She is also an adoptee.

Why we love it: The ways that we build our families are more dynamic than ever – this book highlights how special each of those paths can be. 

"Happy Together" by Julie Marie

The book: Happy Together, an egg donation story uses clear language and cheerful illustrations to join Mommy and Daddy bear on the journey to fulfill their greatest wish of becoming parents. With help from a doctor, an egg from a special lady called a donor and Daddy’s seed, a baby grew in Mommy’s tummy and was welcomed with great joy.

The author: As a mother through egg donation, author Julie Marie found various paths to parenthood were underrepresented in children's literature. Julie wrote Happy Together to help parents share their special family building story with their child.

Why we love it: This tender book is a favorite amongst donor-egg parents, and it’s no surprise. The story is simple enough for even young kids to understand, yet it explains the process of donor eggs well. 

"A tiny itsy bitsy gift of life" by Carmen Martínez Jover

The book: A tiny itsy bitsy gift of life, an egg donor story is a touching story of how a happy couple of rabbits have their own baby by means of egg donation. Using rabbits in this story enables children to easily understand their conception in a simple and loving way. It is through storytelling that parents can explain and help children understand these infertility treatments.

The author: Carmen Martínez Jover was born in Walton-on Thames, Surrey, England and now  lives in Mexico City. Her years of infertility prompted her to paint the roller coaster of emotions through an autobiography. As an adoptive mother she believes that storytelling can help parents share their children’s conception story and wrote this story for children conceived through egg donation.

Why we love it: We know it’s important to talk to donor-conceived children early and often about their conception story, and this book is a great way to do that. Using rabbits in this story enables children to easily understand their conception in a simple and loving way. 

"You Were Meant For Me" by Sheri Sturniolo

The book: You Were Meant For Me: Mom*Dad*Donor shows how the love and generosity of others can grow into the most wonderful gift. This book is a kid-friendly look into the unique ways that some families are grown and the journey of love that brings them together.

The author: Sheri Sturniolo is a Pediatric Registered Nurse and mother to a son and daughter—both born through the awesome gift of donors. Through her personal journey and experiences, Sheri hopes to offer a valuable tool to families searching for ways to make sense of their unique creation story. Sheri lives with her husband, son and daughter (both conceived through embryo adoption) in the San Diego area.

Why we love it: Using symbolism and sweet rhyming lyrics, You Were Meant For Me introduces the complicated topic of being born from sperm, egg or embryo donation, to a young child. By giving children the “pieces of the puzzle,” this book sparks their imagination and stimulates them to ask questions.

"Wish" by Matthew Cordell

The book: Wish is about an elephant couple that embarks on a life together, with thoughts of children far away—at first. But as the desire for a child grows, so do unexpected challenges. And it's only after thwarted plans and bitter disappointment that their deepest wish miraculously comes true.

The author: Matthew Cordell is the acclaimed author and illustrator of the 2018 Caldecott winner Wolf in the Snow. He is also the author and illustrator of Trouble Gum and the illustrator of If the S in Moose Comes Loose, Toot Toot Zoom!, Mighty Casey, Righty and Lefty, and Toby and the Snowflakes, which was written by his wife.

Why we love it: Although this book does not specifically discuss egg donation, it beautifully illustrates the angst of waiting for a child, the fear that it may not happen, and the joy when the wish finally comes true. It will make any parent who struggled with infertility tear up!

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Cofertility is a human-first fertility ecosystem rewriting the egg freezing and egg donation experience. Our Family by Co platform serves as a more transparent, ethical egg donor matching platform. We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive. 

‍Create a free account today!

Donor egg in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a fertility treatment in which an intended parent uses eggs from an egg donor to have a baby. In this process, the donated eggs are fertilized with sperm from an intended parent or sperm donor in a laboratory to create embryos. Those embryos are monitored by an embryologist while they grow into blastocysts. They are then frozen, genetically tested, and transferred to the uterus of the intended mother (or a gestational carrier) in the hope that it will implant and result in a pregnancy. 

We know that using donor eggs can greatly increase the chances of success for an infertile couple. But how common is egg donation? Let’s dive in.

First, who uses donor eggs?

There are many reasons an intended parent would turn to donor eggs to have a baby:

• Infertility due to low ovarian reserve 
• Repeated IVF failures with own eggs
• Infertility due to recurrent miscarriage
• LGBTQ+
• Genetic mutations
• People without ovaries
• Single males
• Women whose own eggs have been damaged by chemotherapy or radiation treatment

Regardless of the reason, donor eggs are a viable, and increasingly common, path to parenthood. 

How common is donor egg IVF in the US?

The use of donor eggs has been increasing in recent years. While it's hard to know the exact number of egg donation cycles each year, we can get a good estimate through the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies (SART), which tracks data for nearly 400 US clinics annually. 

In 2019 there were nearly 20,000 IVF transfers using donor eggs at SART-reporting clinics. That is up 14% from the previous five years. Of those transfers:

• 1,776 used fresh donor eggs
• 2,468 used frozen donor eggs
• 15,294 transferred thawed embryos

How common is donor egg IVF in the UK?

More than 70,000 donor conceived children have been born in the UK since 1991. The total number of babies born via egg donation in 2019 was 1,327, up 88% from 2009. Of those, 83% used a donor egg and the partner’s sperm. The remaining 17% used both donor egg and donor sperm.

How common is donor egg IVF in Australia and New Zealand?

In Australia and New Zealand, there were 3,316 IVF cycles performed using donor eggs (or embryos) in 2017 with 727 live births reported. Of those cycles, 86% used donor eggs and the partners sperm while the remaining used a donor embryo.

How common is donor egg IVF in Europe?

According to data from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), the number of donor egg cycles in Europe has been steadily increasing in recent years. In 2017, the most recent year for which data is available, there were a total of 28,377 donor egg cycles reported in Europe, representing about 5% of all IVF cycles performed in the region. It is worth noting that these figures do not include data from all European countries, as not all countries report their IVF data to ESHRE.

How common is donor egg IVF in Asia?

In China, egg donation is uncommon. That is because donor eggs can only be used if they are unused leftover eggs from women who underwent IVF. Data collected by The Chinese Society of Reproductive Medicine (CSRM) of 327 fertility clinics from 2013 to 2016 found 1,642 donor egg cycles in that time, a small fraction of the 12 million cycles.

The use of donor eggs globally

Unfortunately there’s no way to know exactly how many donor egg cycles there are globally. 

But according to data from the International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ICMART), which collects data from 2,971 clinics in 79 countries, there were 161,139 egg donation transfers in 2018.

The use of donor eggs is more common in countries and regions with better access to IVF, and where legal, cultural, or religious beliefs make the use of donor eggs more acceptable. Plus, the use of donor eggs in IVF may be underreported in some countries, as not all countries require procedures to be reported to regulatory agencies.

Donor eggs can increase your chances of success

Around 53 percent of all donor egg cycles will result in at least one live birth. This percentage varies depending on the egg donor, recipient body mass index, stage of embryo at transfer, the number of oocytes retrieved, and the quality of the clinic.

At every age, the chances of birth with donor eggs is better, but those who benefit the most from donor eggs are women over 35 and those with low ovarian reserve. In fact, about one-quarter of women over 40 who succeeded with IVF did so through the use of donor eggs. 

At Cofertility, for those who match with a donor in our fresh egg donation program, the average number of mature eggs a family receives and fertilizes is 12. The number of eggs retrieved varies by patient and cycle, but can be predicted by a donor’s age, AMH, and antral follicle count, all of which will be known to you after the donor’s initial screening. Qualified candidates have an ample ovarian reserve for both their own needs and sharing. Egg share donors also often work closely with a fertility doctor to determine, based on their own medical history, the optimal number of eggs needed for their own future family-building goals. Should it make sense for the donor, they may choose to pursue a second egg-sharing cycle to maximize the chances of success for everyone.

Matching with a donor in our frozen program can provide the opportunity to move forward with your family-building plans faster, as frozen eggs can be fertilized or shipped to your clinic immediately or as soon as the cycle is complete. Donors undergoing frozen cycles complete equally rigorous ovarian reserve testing. While the total number of frozen eggs available will vary based on the donor’s retrieval outcomes, every frozen match is guaranteed to have a minimum of at least 6 frozen eggs.

To learn more about these programs and the differences between them, click here.

Donor eggs: where do I start?

If you are looking to use donor eggs to build your family, we’d love to help. Cofertility is a human-first fertility ecosystem rewriting the egg donation experience. Our Family by Co platform serves as a more transparent, ethical egg donor matching platform. We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive. Create a free account today!

Some cancers and cancer treatments can have a range of effects on a person’s current and fertility. The impact can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the type of treatment used, the dose and duration of treatment, and the person's age and general health. In this guide, we’ll dive into some of the facts about cancer, cancer treatments, fertility, and donor eggs.

Why some cancer survivors need donor eggs

While some cancer patients are given the opportunity to freeze their eggs before undergoing cancer treatment, too often this doesn’t happen. Sometimes the drugs required in egg freezing could promote the growth of hormone-sensitive cancers. Other times, the patient may not have enough time to complete a stim cycle before needing to start cancer treatment. And in some particularly unfortunate cases, the patient may not be not informed of their fertility preservation options. 

Regardless of the reason, if a cancer survivor no longer has sufficient egg quantity or quality, turning to donor eggs is one potential path to parenthood. 

How cancer treatments may affect fertility

Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery are all types of cancer treatment that can potentially affect fertility. The effects of cancer treatment on fertility can vary widely from person to person. Some people may experience temporary or permanent fertility changes as a result of treatment, while others may experience no significant changes.

• Chemotherapy can cause primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), which is when the ovaries stop  releasing eggs and estrogen. Sometimes POI is temporary and your menstrual periods and fertility return after treatment. However, even if normal ovulation resumes, chemotherapy can lower the number of healthy eggs.
• Some cancer surgeries, especially those addressing gynecologic cancers, include the removal of one or both ovaries, the fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, or cervix. This can make getting pregnant and carrying a healthy pregnancy more difficult. 
• Radiation therapy can also cause infertility. Patients who receive abdominal or directed pelvic radiation at high doses are at greater risk for infertility. Radiation therapy can also negatively impact the number and quality of eggs, leading to a reduced ovarian reserve. 

If you are considering cancer treatment and are concerned about its potential impact on your fertility, it is important to discuss your concerns with your healthcare team. They can provide you with information about the potential effects of cancer treatment on fertility and help you understand your options for preserving your fertility before treatment begins.

Can you become pregnant after chemotherapy?

Some types of chemotherapy can temporarily or permanently damage the ovaries, which can affect a person's fertility. Chemotherapy can also cause a temporary or permanent decrease in the production of eggs, which can also affect fertility. However, the effects of chemotherapy on fertility are not uniform. 

It is also important to note that fertility can be affected by other factors, such as the underlying health condition for which the chemotherapy is being used. For example, some health conditions, such as cancer, can affect fertility even without chemotherapy treatment.

Can you do IVF after cancer and chemotherapy?

It is often possible to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) after cancer treatment, including chemotherapy. However, the timing of IVF treatment may need to be adjusted based on the specific type of cancer and treatment.

Chemotherapy and other cancer treatments can damage the ovaries, which can affect fertility. It may take some time for the ovaries to recover after treatment, and the timing of IVF treatment may need to be adjusted accordingly.

It is also important to note that cancer treatment can affect your overall health, which can impact the IVF experience. Some people may want or need to wait until they have fully recovered from treatment before starting IVF, while others may need to modify their treatment plan to take into account any ongoing health issues.

If you are considering IVF after cancer treatment and are concerned about its potential impact on your fertility, it is important to discuss your concerns with a fertility specialist. 

Using donor eggs to get pregnant after cancer

IVF using donor eggs is a fertility treatment option often considered by female cancer survivors who have experienced fertility changes as a result of cancer treatment. Because cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can damage the ovaries and affect a person's ability to produce healthy eggs, using donor eggs may be the best option for achieving pregnancy.

Donor egg IVF involves using eggs from a healthy donor to create embryos, which are then transferred to the uterus of the intended parent or a gestational carrier. This can allow cancer survivors who have experienced fertility changes as a result of treatment to have a child. 

Donor egg IVF is an increasingly common fertility treatment, and an option that may be considered if other fertility treatment options are not feasible or have not been successful. Using donor eggs can greatly increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy, especially for women over 35. 

Cofertility is a human-first fertility ecosystem rewriting the egg freezing and egg donation experience. Our Family by Co platform serves as a more transparent, ethical egg donor matching platform. We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive. Create a free account today!

More and more families are turning to donor IVF to have children. If you are considering using donor eggs as part of your fertility treatment, you are likely weighing the potential pros and cons of this option. Let’s go over egg donor IVF and some of the main pros and cons of using donor eggs.

What is egg donor IVF?

Egg donation is a process in which a woman (called a donor) provides her eggs to be used by another family. The eggs are retrieved from the donor's ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory setting. The resulting embryos are then transferred to the uterus of the woman who will carry the pregnancy (called the recipient) or a gestational carrier. Egg donation can be an option for women who are unable to produce their own eggs or who have eggs of poor quality. It can also be an option for same-sex male couples or single men who want to have a child using a surrogate.

The egg donation process typically involves several steps. First, the donor undergoes medical and psychological screening to determine if she is a suitable candidate for donation. This includes a physical exam, blood tests, and a review of medical and family history. The donor is also required to undergo psychological counseling to ensure that she is emotionally prepared for the process.

Next, the donor is given fertility medications to stimulate her ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs. The eggs are then retrieved through a surgical procedure called oocyte retrieval, which is performed under sedation or general anesthesia. The eggs are then fertilized with sperm in a laboratory setting, and the resulting embryos are transferred to the recipient's uterus. If the transfer is successful, the recipient will carry the pregnancy to term and give birth to the child.

Egg donation is a complex and often emotional process, and it is important for both the donor and the recipient to carefully consider the legal, financial, and emotional implications of the decision. It is also important for both parties to work with a reputable fertility clinic and egg donation agency (like Cofertility) to ensure that all necessary medical, legal, and ethical guidelines are followed.

Now, let’s review some of the pros and cons to using donor eggs.

Pros:

• First and foremost is the chance to have a baby! Donor egg IVF has a high success rate. Many women who use donor eggs achieve pregnancy and give birth to healthy babies.
• Using donor eggs can allow women who are older (over 40) or who have experienced age-related fertility decline to have a child. Donor eggs may also be an option for women who have certain health conditions that affect their fertility, such as premature menopause or damaged ovaries.
• Donor egg IVF allows women who can’t use their own eggs the meaningful opportunity to carry a pregnancy. With donor eggs, most women can still carry a healthy pregnancy and breastfeed. 
• Donor eggs can be used by LGBTQ+ couples who wish to have a child that is genetically related to one of them.
• Children born through egg donation live happy, normal lives. We now have evidence that both donor-conceived children (from early childhood to adolescence) and their parents are psychologically well adjusted and do not differ from families with spontaneously or own-gamete conceived children. (That being said, there are some parenting best-practices you should know!)

Cons:

• Donor egg IVF can be expensive, with costs in the tens of thousands of dollars. Some insurance plans may cover some or all of the costs, but it is important to check with your insurance provider or employer to understand your coverage.
• Using donor eggs involves a number of legal considerations, including contracts between you with the donor. One thing the contract outlines is the expected relationship and when/if/how your donor-conceived child can know more about the donor. It is important to understand these issues before proceeding with donor egg IVF. If you work with Cofertility, we will ensure you and the egg donor have excellent legal representation and a sound contract.
• Using donor eggs can involve complex emotional considerations, such as feelings of loss or grief for some people. It is important to discuss these emotions with a mental health professional before proceeding with donor egg IVF.

Finding an egg donor

There are a number of ways to find a donor, including using a donor egg agency or searching online databases. It is important to carefully research and consider your options before making a decision. At Cofertility, you can create a free account to begin your journey. Our unique model empowers women to take control of their own reproductive health while giving you the gift of a lifetime. Our donors aren’t doing it for cash – they keep half the eggs retrieved for their own future use, and donate half to your family.

From end to end, we take a more human approach to egg donation. Our pre-qualified donors are ambitious, kind, and excited to help your family. We’re ready to make your parenting dreams a reality.  

Egg donation is a relatively new concept, and the legal structure surrounding egg donation varies widely across the US and globally. Unlike most of Europe, US policy does not require infertility clinics to be licensed by law, and no uniform standards exist about proper methods for egg donor recruitment, care, and disclosure. There is no US federal law regarding anonymity vs. disclosure in gamete donation, which has resulted in each state having its own regulation, if anything at all.

So what does the law say about anonymous donation?

For a long time, anonymity was the status quo, and people conceived through anonymous egg or sperm donation did not have a way to find out more about their genetic origins. But the use of at-home DNA and social media, along with advocacy from donor conceived people, has radically changed this. 

In this guide, we summarize some of the legislations that are driving egg donor anonymity into the past. 

Colorado

Colorado has the most progressive laws towards donor-conceived persons rights. In June 2022, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed legislation banning anonymous sperm and egg donations, making the state the first in the country to prohibit the practice. 

This law requires sperm and egg banks to maintain up-to-date medical records and contact information for all donors. The law raises the minimum donation age to 21, prohibits donations from donors who refuse to agree to identity disclosures, and limits the number of families that can use eggs from any given donor.

Once the law takes effect in 2025, donor-conceived adults will have the legal right to request information about their donor's identity and medical history. Future donors must agree that their information will be released to offspring that request them after the age of 18. This effectively eliminates any anonymity in the donation process.

Washington 

A number of states, including California, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Washington have enacted the 2020 Uniform Parentage Act. Section 702 of the Act protects families by ensuring that the donor is not the legal parent of the child. This act, while extremely progressive, does not go as far as mandating that future donors MUST agree to information being released. 

In 2011, Washington State was the first to challenge sperm and egg donor anonymity with a law that requires sperm banks and egg donation agencies with gametes from Washington State to provide the donor’s medical histories and, importantly, full names to donor-conceived persons upon turning 18 years of age. This has one major caveat - the agencies and banks are only required to provide the information if the gamete donor did not affirmatively opt out of being identified.

California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island

In 2020, California and Rhode Island followed Washington’s path, with a similar law that requires egg and sperm banks and donor programs to collect and retain a donor’s full name, date of birth, and address.

However, the law has one more provision friendly to the donor-conceived community - even if the donor did opt out of having his or her identity revealed, upon the request of a donor-conceived person, the gamete bank has an affirmative duty to notify the donor as to the request, and allow that donor another chance with withdraw the declaration. The new law goes on to provide that regardless of whether the donor signed a waiver, the donor-conceived person or, prior to the age of 18, his or her parents, shall have a right to the donor’s non-identifying medical information. 

Connecticut enacted the same laws in 2022, expanding rights for donor-conceived persons. 

New York 

A pending measure in New York would require gamete donor banks “to collect and verify medical, educational and criminal felony conviction history information” from any donor. This would also provide prospective parents who purchase eggs or sperm and donor-conceived people with the right to obtain such information without personally identifying the donor. 

Other US states

There are currently no other states with legislation passed or pending on the regulation of gamete donations.

Canada

In Canada, egg and sperm donors cannot be paid; their donation must be altruistic. Both anonymous donation and known donation are permitted.

Mexico

In Mexico, organ and cell donation, including egg donation, is required to be done anonymously. 

In Mexico, though there is no specific law governing assisted reproductive technologies, donations are governed by some agreements implemented by national organizations such as the Mexican Association of Reproductive Medicine. The practice of ART is also considered, although not explicitly, in the General Health Law. Organ, cell and egg donation is required to be done anonymously.

Europe

In Europe, it has been suggested that anonymous gamete donation may breach the rights of donor-conceived persons under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHRs). However, this has never been definitively addressed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHRs). This has led to considerable divergence in regulatory approaches to anonymous donation across Europe. 

Donor eggs for IVF are not allowed by law in Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Tunisia, or Turkey.

Sweden

Sweden was the first country to prohibit anonymous donation, which it did in 1984. Identifiable donors are required. And while the donor remains anonymous to the family, the donor offspring have the right to receive information about the donor at the age of 18.

One Swedish study of 210 donors asked their thoughts five to eight years after their donation. The results show that a majority of egg and sperm donors had a positive attitude to the idea of being contacted by their offspring, while very few reported that they would prefer not to be contacted.

United Kingdom

In the UK, the transition from anonymity protection to anonymity prohibition was partially driven by activism on the part of donor-conceived people, prompting a change in UK law in 2005, as a result of which anonymous donation was no longer permitted. Children born from egg donation receive the donor’s information upon turning 18, and it’s up to the donor whether to reply or not.

Additionally, it's illegal to pay for egg donation in the UK. Egg donors can receive compensation of up to £750 per donation 'cycle' to cover their costs.

Ireland

Ireland did not regulate anonymous donation at all until 2015, but The Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 prohibits anonymous donation entirely, and goes so far as to require the State to inform the donor-conceived person that they are donor-conceived, if they seek a birth certificate when over the age of 18. Ireland also proposes to extend this right to the right to know one’s gestational surrogate. 

Spain 

Spain guarantees donor anonymity, regulated by a 2006 law. Breaking the confidentiality conditions of the egg donor’s personal details are considered a serious offense, which can lead to significant monetary fines. Donor conceived people have the right to obtain general information about donors, but not their identities.

Portugal

In 2018, Portugal banned anonymous egg donation, and donor-conceived people can now request personal information from the donor. CNMPA (National Council for Medically Assisted Procreation) has required clinics to suspend any IVF treatments with anonymous donors and begin registering everything in the national ART authority database. Egg donors can donate four times per lifetime and donor compensation in Portugal is fixed by law at 878€.

France 

Donor anonymity had been established in France since the passage of its first law on assisted reproduction in 1994. In 2022, a new french bioethics law, established that children born as a result of medical procreation will have the right, if they wish, to know the identities of the donors who made their lives possible.The information about donors – including details of their family and professional situation – will be recorded at the time of the donation, along with a description of their "general state" and physical characteristics. Once the child reaches adulthood, he or she will have access to the information.

Greece

Egg donation in Greece is generally anonymous, and the clinics facilitate matching donors and families. Strict regulations prevent clinics from sharing any personal information about donors to patients.

Hungary

In Hungary, an egg donor must be a relative of the infertile couple, meaning that they are not anonymous. 

China

In China, the use of donor gametes is restricted to donor sperm, though donor eggs can be used if they are unused leftover eggs from women who underwent IVF. However, no compensation can be provided. While there’s no legislation around anonymity, most of the cases are anonymous.

Singapore

The commercial market of donor eggs is prohibited by healthcare regulations in Singapore, with strict laws restricting monetary payment of egg donors. 

However, the recent Assisted Reproduction Services Regulations permits medical and non-medical elective egg and sperm freezing from 2023. A policy decision, still under consideration by the Singapore government, which could have implications for donor-conceived offspring, is the possible establishment of an adoption register to facilitate contact between adopted children and their birth parents in the future.

Japan

The Diet passed a law in 2020 that recognizes married heterosexual couples who have children through donor eggs as legal parents (however, this right doesn’t apply to Japan’s LGBTQ+ families). And it does not give children the right to seek disclosure of the identities of the egg donors, an omission that has been met with criticism from groups representing them. 

South Korea

The buying and selling of donor eggs is banned in South Korea. Further, IVF treatments are not an option for unmarried women in Korea, and sperm banks set their own criteria for accepting patients and will not provide services to unmarried women. While single South Korean women are able to freeze their eggs, they can't legally proceed with a sperm donation and the transfer of an embryo unless married. 

Lebanon

Egg donation in Lebanon has become a popular option in recent years, and egg donors can be known (friends or relatives) or anonymous. 

Turkey

Even though Turkey has more IVF clinics than any other nation in the Middle East, all forms of third-party reproduction are illegal, including egg donation, sperm donation, embryo donation, and surrogacy. In 2010, Turkey banned its citizens from going abroad to seek donor eggs, making it the first country in the world to regulate 'cross-border reproductive care'.

Israel

In 2010, The Israeli Knesset approved a bill regulating egg and sperm donations, fixing payment for donors. Compensation for egg donors would be higher than that for sperm donors, as ova harvesting requires patients to undergo hormone treatment. The law designates that the egg donation must be anonymous. A genetic database will allow individuals over the age of 18 to check whether they were conceived through third-party reproduction, without exposing the identity of the egg donor.

India 

The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill passed in 2020 in India. Egg donors must be married with a child who is at least three years old. A donor can donate eggs only once in her life and not more than seven eggs can be retrieved. Also in India, no donation from the friends or relatives of either partner is allowed. Non identifying information about the donor is customarily provided to the donor-conceived offspring.

This bill requires clinics to maintain records of all donations for at least 10 years, after which the records must be transferred to the National Registry. However, the law seems ambiguous - and  Bill does not specify the purpose of collecting personal information and sharing it with the Registry.

Brazil

There is no legislation in Brazil regulating the assisted reproduction market, and the law has not kept up with the technological improvements and growing market. However, the Childrens Act (ECA) gives all children the right to know their genetic identity. The law includes adopted children and by extension, those conceived using genetic material donated by people who are not their legal parents. Although the Brazil Federal Council of Medicine states that sperm and egg donation must be anonymous, this does not prevent a child from filing a lawsuit demanding knowledge of their origin, as is their right according to the Brazilian Civil Code. 

Argentina

While egg and sperm donation is legal in Argentina, it is generally done anonymously. Physicians match families with donor eggs, and there is no database where parents could see the pictures or get information about the donors. 

Australia 

The state of Victoria, Australia introduced legislation to ban anonymous sperm and egg donation in 1998. In 2005, a national medical guideline stipulated the abolishment of anonymous donation in all states. In 2018, Victoria went even further to lift anonymity retroactively for donations made before 1998. 

New Zealand

In New Zealand, The Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2004 legislated that all donations made on or after 22 August 2005 must be non-anonymous.

Disclosure is the future

The rising tide of disclosure is also playing out in legislative action around the globe, with the primary focus being on protecting donor-conceived persons’ interests to access crucial information that is relevant to their health and wellbeing. Practically, anonymity can no longer be guaranteed.

If you are single with fertility issues or in a relationship where both of you are experiencing fertility issues, you have an option of conceiving using both donor egg and donor sperm. Below I will answer commonly asked questions about the selection process, how treatment works, and on odds of success. 

Why would someone need both egg and sperm donation?

Why would someone need both donor egg and donor sperm? It may be that a woman has reached an age where conception using her own eggs is no longer an option. Or perhaps she has medical reasons that prohibit the use of her own eggs. A sperm donor may be needed because she may not have a male partner or if she does, perhaps the male partner is experiencing fertility problems where the sperm is not viable. 

For some single women, they may decide to use a sperm donor because they do not have a partner and are ready to start a family. So their journey to parenthood begins with coming to terms with the idea of raising a child alone. But once on that journey, she may discover a fertility problem (age or otherwise) and now also has to accept the idea of not having a genetic connection to her child as well. But when the longing to be a parent outweighs the desire to reproduce, that is where double donation comes in. 

Some other scenarios include lesbian couples where both women have fertility issues and cannot use their own eggs, single males who cannot use their own sperm, or a gay male couples where both have fertility issues and neither can use their own sperm.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) with double gamete donation consists of a fertility treatment in which the eggs of a donor are fertilized with the sperm of a donor. The donors can be identified (meaning the donor is known to the parents in some capacity) or non-identified (the donor is not known at all). Donors need to be over the age of 21, and pass both medical and psychological evaluations. Currently, there is no cap on how much a donor can be paid. 

Donor eggs

Let’s begin with the egg donation process. Once an egg donor has been selected and has completed and passed all the required medical and psychological testing, she will begin the medical protocol to retrieve her eggs. She will begin by injecting herself with hormones for approximately two weeks. These hormones stimulate the ovaries to produce more follicles than she would otherwise produce. Depending on the protocol, she will be regularly monitored by a clinic close to home so doctors can monitor the stimulation.  A final, trigger shot is taken on a specific day and time and within a certain amount of hours, the eggs are extracted under sedation.  The other option is to use frozen eggs from an egg bank. 

Donor sperm

Donor sperm can also be either fresh or frozen. However, regardless of how it is donated, it will remain frozen in quarantine for six months before it can be used. Some states and clinics will offer a waiver to release the sperm after three months. The reason for quarantine is that some diseases, such as HIV or Hepatitis B can take up to six months to show positive.

Once the donated eggs are matured and ready to be fertilized, the donor sperm is thawed and tested. Once approved and ready, the mature eggs are fertilized with the donor sperm. Embryos are given three to five days to grow and are then transferred to the intended mother or gestational carrier.  Remaining embryos can be frozen for possible future use, donated to another person or couple or disposed of. 

Double-donor embryo IVF

Because a double donor embryo is created using two donors, treatment can be costly. It can also be the treatment path that takes the longest since you are needing to find both an egg and sperm donor and you need to ensure everyone’s calendars are in sync. A planned trip, holiday lab closures, and medical and legal professionals scheduling calendars can create time lags in the process. So be prepared to spend months or even a year before treatment (embryo transfer) can actually occur. 

However, medically, double donation is safe and can have very high success rates. For example, the 2020 CDC IVF success rates looked at 449 clinics across the United States. A frozen embryo transfer cycle using donor eggs resulted in a 44.5% singleton live birth rate. Whereas a fresh embryo transfer cycle using frozen donor eggs had a 44.1% singleton live birth rate and a fresh transfer from fresh donor eggs resulted in a 49.5% singleton live birth rate.

Although double donation can be costly and time consuming, chances of a successful transfer and birth can exponentially increase when gametes used to create the embryo come from young,  healthy donors.  

According to the CDC, 12% of all IVF cycles in the U.S. involve eggs retrieved from a donor. Donor-egg IVF has the highest success rate of any fertility treatment, and is becoming an increasingly common way for families to grow. In this guide on donor eggs, we’ll cover some important stats we think you should know.

More and more families are using donor eggs

It’s hard to know exactly how many egg donation cycles happen each year in the US, but we can get a good picture through SART, which tracks data for nearly 400 clinics annually. 

In 2019 there were nearly 20,000 IVF transfers using donor eggs at SART-reporting clinics. That is up 14% from the previous five years. Of those transfers:

• 1,776 used fresh donor eggs
• 2,468 used frozen donor eggs
• 15,294 transferred thawed embryos

Donor eggs can increase your chances of success

Around 53 percent of all donor egg cycles will result in at least one live birth. This percentage varies depending on the egg donor, recipient body mass index, stage of embryo at transfer, the number of oocytes retrieved, and the quality of the clinic.

At every age, the chances of birth with donor eggs is better, but those who benefit the most from donor eggs are women over 35 and those with low ovarian reserve. In fact, about one-quarter of women over 40 who succeeded with IVF did so through the use of donor eggs. 

The chart was made using the SART Patient Predictor for an average woman (5’4”, 150 lbs) with diminished ovarian reserve. As you can see, the chances of live birth after one donor egg cycle is 54% for recipients under 40, and only goes down slightly after this.

At Cofertility, the average number of mature eggs a family receives and fertilizes is 12. Some intended parents want to do two egg retrievals with the donor which is definitely possible. We also ask each of our donors whether they are open to a second cycle as part of the initial application — many report that they are!

You can see how many eggs are retrieved in the first cycle and go from there. If, for any reason, the eggs retrieved in that round do not lead to a live birth, our baby guarantee will kick in and we’ll re-match you at no additional match deposit or Cofertility coordination fee.

The success of egg donation depends more on the age of the donor than the birth mother

It’s important to remember that your age when you get pregnant is not as important as the age of the eggs with which you get pregnant. The success of egg donation depends on many factors, but is not considered to be related to the age of the recipient.

So how old should your egg donor be? We follow ASRM guidelines that say egg donors should be between the ages of 21 and 34 years at the time of donation. Donors under 25 do not have better outcomes. So if you find a donor you love who is 30, don’t hesitate. 

Younger donor eggs may not always be better

One study of infertility patients using donor eggs found the chances of live birth among cycles using egg donors < 25 years was 13% lower for those using donors age 25 to 29.

Another older but large study of 3,889 fresh donor egg cycles found that the cycles utilizing donors 30 to 34 years had a higher incidence of live birth than cycles with donors under 30 years, as well as donors over 34.

While many people gravitate towards younger donors under the assumption that she’ll retrieve more eggs, the good news is that the number of eggs retrieved - for donors at any age - is predictable. When you find a donor profile that resonates with you, your doctor will help determine if she’s a good candidate. All the donors at Cofertility are pre-qualified and most of them pass medical clearance upon match. Create a free account today to meet your match!

Similarly, women under age 25 going through IVF have been shown to have a lower success rate compared to women 25-30, and may have higher rates of miscarriage. No one understands why this may be the case for younger women, but it’s one of the reasons we recommend donors aged 25-34. 

The median number of eggs retrieved from donors is 18, with half retrieving 13-25

A Harvard study of 774 egg donor cycles found that across all ages, the median number of oocytes (eggs) retrieved was 18. The middle 50% retrieved 13-25 eggs, meaning 25% of the donors retrieved over 25 and 25% retrieved under 13. Mature eggs were slightly lower, at a median of 15. 

Here is the breakdown of median eggs retrieved (and middle 50%) from the study, by age:

• <25: 19 (14-26)
• 25-29: 18 (13-25)
• 30-34: 16 (10-21)

Three to five donor eggs generally leads to at least one genetically normal embryo

A 2015 study of 647 frozen donor eggs found that:

• 97.1% survived thawing
• 85.3% of the eggs fertilized
• 59.1% made it to blastocyst
• 84.2% of blastocysts were euploid (genetically normal)

So three donor eggs would yield a little over one genetically normal embryo on average while nine donor eggs would be expected to yield three to four euploid embryos on average. 

So what does that mean for bringing home a baby? One study found the pregnancy rate from a single euploid is nearly 70%, and that having three euploid embryos gives you a 94.9% chance of achieving pregnancy. Since the study is from a group of infertility patients, these numbers could be even higher for donor eggs.

The number of eggs your donor will retrieve can be predicted by her AMH levels and antral follicle counts. However, it’s important to keep in mind that overall fertilization rates will vary depending on factors beyond the egg, including the quality of the sperm and the quality of the clinic. 

Read more in How Many Donor Egg Cycles Does It Take To Have A Baby?      

Fresh donor eggs may be better, but the jury’s still out

There is some evidence that the success rate with fresh donor eggs is higher than with frozen donor eggs. A 2021 study of 323 donor egg transfers found the following live birth rates:

• Fresh eggs: 49%
• Frozen eggs: 30%

Another study found that thawed frozen eggs were less likely to fertilize and develop into healthy embryos. Howeverly, ultimately, they found no difference in pregnancy outcomes between the fresh and frozen donor egg cycles. 

Regardless, even with fresh eggs, most families decide to freeze the embryos after fertilization. This way, the embryos can undergo genetic testing and be saved for future sibling transfers. Some studies have found that frozen embryos have a higher implantation rate compared to fresh embryos, while other studies show just the opposite.

Read more in What's the Difference Between Fresh vs. Frozen Donor Eggs?

Children born through egg donation live happy, normal lives

While we still need more research into the experiences of donor-conceived people, there have been a few important studies that give us confidence that donor-conceived children have the same well-being as other children, and may even be closer to their mothers than others.

A study of 40 children born through egg donation found:

• Children in egg donation families view their relationships with their mothers as warm and enjoyable, even more so than other children
• There is no difference in the father-child relationship for children born via egg donation
• There is no difference in the egg-donor children’s rating of their own psychological well-being 

When researchers asked the children about whether they would change anything about their family… The vast majority said that they would keep their family the same as it is. 

Similarly, another study found that mothers through egg donation find their relations higher in joy than other mothers. And egg donation mothers have low rates of disappointment and anger. So while it may feel daunting to pursue donor eggs at first, parents quickly come to terms with the situation and have similar, if not better, experiences compared to other parents. 

Read more in How Can I Come to Terms with Using Donor Eggs?

Donor compensation can be problematic

A 2021 Harvard study found that 62% of donor-conceived adults felt the exchange of money for donor gametes was wrong, and 41% were troubled by the fact that money was exchanged around their conception. 

Researchers have also found that payment may incentivize donors to falsify information, which could compromise the welfare of the donor child and family. ASRM suggests that a reasonable compensation should not exceed $5,000 US dollars per cycle.

At Cofertility, we have a unique model that does not include cash compensation. Instead, egg donors keep half the eggs retrieved for their own future use. This has led us to be able to recruit a more diverse, high-caliber group of donors while serving families in a more ethical way. 

Telling donor-conceived children how they were conceived is paramount

Most experts agree that it’s best to be honest with children about how they were conceived and normalize their conception from an early age. 

One study found a lack of communication about the child’s genetic origins may interfere with positive interactions between mothers and their children (the study did not mention fathers). And secrecy surrounding the child’s donor conception was associated with less positive mother-child interaction. Another study of donor conceived adults found that greater parental avoidance of the topic was associated with poorer family functioning.

Sharing this information is good for the parents too. Mothers who disclose the information to their children by age 7 or 10 show lower rates of depression than those who do not disclose, and fathers have lower stress levels.

But we don’t need studies to know that honesty is important. Secrecy assumes shame, and there is nothing shameful about donor egg conception. 

Read more in How to Talk to Your Donor-Conceived Child About Their Conception Story

“Anonymous” donation is not a thing

In a world of ubiquitous genetic testing and social media, no gamete donation can be guaranteed to be anonymous. Regardless of the information you have about the donor on paper, the donor-conceived child may grow up and find genetic relatives, or vice versa. Fact is:

• Many donor-conceived children become curious about their genetic origins as they get older
• A medical situation may arise and you have critical questions to ask the donor
• The donor-conceived person may find genetic relatives on a site like 23andMe 
• The laws around anonymity are changing 

We believe, at minimum, families should have access to the name and contact information of the donor. This doesn’t mean the family has to have a relationship with the donor, it just means that if the child grows up and wants to reach out, they can. 

As egg donation becomes a more popular avenue for family-building, the industry is learning more about the nuances of the process. We’ll continue to stay ahead of the research, and use these insights to support our members. If we can be of service, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Cofertility is a human-first fertility ecosystem rewriting the egg freezing and egg donation experience. Our Family by Co platform serves as a more transparent, ethical egg donor matching platform. We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive.

Disclosing to your child that they were born via egg donation may make you anxious or nervous. You may worry about when, what, and how to tell them the story. Because of this, some parents may want to delay this conversation for as long as possible, or may avoid this conversation at all. Although this is your family and you get to decide how / if  to tell your story, research has shown over and over the importance of openness and honesty in telling children their conception story and telling it early. 

Why telling your child their donor conception story is important

But why is disclosure even important? Some reasons for disclosing include your child’s right to know about their genetics, the need for them to have accurate medical information, and most importantly – for encouraging honesty and trust in your relationship. Finding out accidentally from a family member, a DNA test, or routine medical check can create lasting psychological damage and make your child feel as though their conception is somehow shameful (which it’s absolutely not). 

Although it’s hard to predict your child’s reaction to this knowledge, research has shown that most parents do not express regret about sharing their story with their child and report no negative effect on their child or with their relationship with their child upon disclosing. In fact, studies indicate that disclosing families saw themselves as being more competent as parents and having a stronger relationship with their children, than those who did not disclose.

When should you tell your child they are donor conceived?

But what about the timing? When should you start telling? The advantages of telling your child early (think toddler age) have been associated with better outcomes because starting early helps the child process the information in a more factual and non-emotional manner. It allows for the parents to establish the foundation for an ongoing discussion about how their family came to be. It also helps in introducing a vocabulary which can be used and elaborated on as the child’s understanding develops. Finally, it helps parents with practicing telling the story until it becomes second nature and just a part of their family history. 

You have to keep in mind that disclosure is not about getting the facts right, it is simply about telling your child.

You have to keep in mind that disclosure is not about getting the facts right, it is simply about telling your child. Saying they are too young to understand can sometimes become an excuse for not telling the child early on. Parents may feel that they need to wait until their child is old enough to understand. But disclosure is a process, not a one time announcement. It is not about your child understanding the facts about reproduction, science or family origins. Disclosure is an ongoing process where more and more information is gradually shared and discussed. 

Before you start writing your script or deciding on when and how you are going to share the conception story, it is important for you, as a parent, to think about what using donor eggs has meant to you. What are your fears regarding using a donor and how does that fear play a role in disclosure? You need to be at peace with yourself and your decision to use a donor. Secondly, if you have a partner, ensure that you are both on the same page regarding disclosure and the timing of it. 

Tips for talking to your child about being donor conceived

So how do you start? The first part of disclosure is the when and how regarding conception. Start with the basics and use age appropriate language when speaking to your child. What does that mean? It means talking to your child in a way they will understand. Your script can begin with your want to have a family but inability to do so, therefore, needing to turn to a donor and doctor for help. Focus on the happiness and love that came when the special baby was born and your gratitude for all those who helped.  

As your child grows older, you can begin to expand on this story by telling more facts about reproduction, egg and sperm, and the science used. You can also start telling them more about their donor. You will find as your child grows their curiosity about their donor may also grow. This is completely normal. But don't let this curiosity impact you negatively. Interest does not mean they are looking for their “real parent” or that your relationship with your child is in trouble. Knowledge about their donor is just one part of disclosure and can be an important part of identity formation. So try to preserve as much donor information as you can (profiles, pictures etc), as this may become important information for your child in later life. 

Read Nine Things To Know About Raising A Donor Conceived Child

There are many books that can be used to help share your family story. You can even make your own book with pictures of the donor, the doctors, the embryo etc. that can be read from day one. You can also read more about what other parents have done and what worked for them or join a support group specifically for families using donors to have a family. 

At the end of day, you want to normalize your child’s birth story and you want to differentiate the donor from the parent. You want to reinforce your role as a parent and the generosity and kindness of the world that came together to create the most special member of the family. 

Cofertility is a human-first fertility ecosystem rewriting the egg freezing and egg donation experience. Our Family by Co platform serves as a more transparent, ethical egg donor matching platform. We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive.

Primary infertility is when a couple has not gotten pregnant after one year of actively trying. However, when a couple already has one biological child and is unable to have a second, it is known as secondary infertility. If you are experiencing secondary infertility, and want to learn and understand more about it and how egg donation may work in this situation, read on. 

Primary infertility impacts one in five couples whereas secondary infertility impacts one in 10 couples. With both types of infertility, one cause that can be attributed is age. By age 30, a woman’s fertility begins to decline. By the time a woman reaches the age of 45, getting pregnant naturally is very unlikely. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that if you are under 35 years of age and have been actively trying to conceive for up to a year, or if you are over 35 years of age and have been actively trying to conceive for up to six months without success, then it is time to see a fertility specialist.

Although the causes of primary and secondary infertility are pretty much the same, the emotional impact can differ. However there is hope in that fertility treatments for both types of infertility are the same and both have high success rates.

Trying for a second child

People experiencing secondary infertility may have had no issues having their first child. Regardless of their experience getting pregnant the first time, they usually had dreams for multiple children with hopes of having at least one sibling for their child. Having problems getting pregnant the second time around can sometimes be even more stressful and painful than  primary fertility because many times secondary fertility can be overlooked or neglected, and it can feel very lonely. 

The thinking that “well at least you have one” does not make it easier to relinquish the dream of having more than one child. Along with the shock and frustration of not being able to get pregnant again, there can come a sense of guilt because you should feel grateful for the one you have.  Or feeling selfish because there are so many that can’t or don't even have one child. And there can also be a sense of sadness because you are not able to give your child a sibling. 

How to have a baby with donor eggs after secondary infertility

If you have been told that your egg quality or quantity is insufficient, then it may be time to turn to donor eggs. Depending on your individual circumstances, the chances of having a baby using a donor egg may be significantly higher than the chances of having a baby with IVF using your own eggs. Around 50 percent of all donor egg cycles result in a pregnancy, giving hope of keeping the dream of more than one child a viable option. Although your second and first child may not be full genetic siblings, if the sperm used to create the embryo is the same as the first, then your children will be 50% biologically related. 

Is a donor egg pregnancy different?

Every pregnancy is different. So a pregnancy using donor eggs could look different than your first pregnancy.  Not because the embryo is created with a donor egg but maybe because of your age, or due to the fact that you are already caring for a young child and depending on their age, you may not be getting a lot of sleep or rest. Your life circumstances could be different the second time around - such as a different job, different responsibilities, and obligations than before etc.  There are many factors that could impact how this pregnancy looks and feels. 

Read Will a Donor Conceived Child Have My DNA?

Will the bonding experience be different for a donor-conceived child?

Once the baby is born, the bonding experience between you and the new baby will probably look and feel different than the first one as well. But not because they are donor-conceived! Most second time parents say they are more relaxed the second time around because they know what to expect and some find they can enjoy the infant stage a little bit more than they did the first time around. However, some find it to be a bit more difficult because they already have a child who may have some difficulties adjusting to this new life without all the attention.

How do you know if turning to donor eggs is right for you? 

Think about your motivation to have a second child, what is it and how strongly motivated are you to have another? How do you view the role and importance of a sibling in the life and development of your first child? What might the future look like if it included one child versus more than one? If the motivation and desire is very strong, and if you have tried all means to get pregnant again, then donor eggs might be right for you.

Read Donor Egg Success Rates: a Breakdown 

You may want to have a child that physically looks like you or your first child, and that can carry a lot of stress around using donor eggs. Really when looking for an egg donor, you want to find someone who could fit into your family. Maybe someone who has freckles like your sister or curly hair like your mother. Maybe you come from a family of chess players and you want someone who also loves chess. At the end of the day you want to always come back to your why… Why do you want a second child and how strong is your motivation and desire to have another?  

You don’t have to struggle alone. There are many community resources dedicated to people experiencing secondary infertility and Cofertility is one of them. We work to make this a warmer, more human centric process, by offering community and support throughout this journey. 

Our program is unique. After meeting with hundreds of intended parents, egg donors, and donor-conceived people, we decided on an egg donation model that we think best serves everyone involved: egg sharing.

Here’s how it works: our unique model empowers women to take control of their own reproductive health while giving you the gift of a lifetime. Our donors aren’t doing it for cash – they keep half the eggs retrieved for their own future use, and donate half to your family.

We aim to be the best egg-sharing program, providing an experience that honors, respects, and uplifts everyone involved. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Human-centered. We didn’t like the status quo in egg donation. So we’re doing things differently, starting with our human-centered matching platform.
• Donor empowerment. Our model empowers donors to preserve their own fertility, while lifting you up on your own journey. It’s a win-win.
• Diversity: We’re proud of the fact that the donors on our platform are as diverse as the intended parents seeking to match with them. We work with intended parents to understand their own cultural values — including regional nuances — in hopes of finding them the perfect match.
• Baby guarantee. We truly want to help you bring your baby home, and we will re-match you for free until that happens.
• Lifetime support: Historically, other egg donation options have treated egg donor matching as a one-and-done experience. Beyond matching, beyond a pregnancy, beyond a birth…we believe in supporting the donor-conceived family for life. Our resources and education provide intended parents with the guidance they need to raise happy, healthy kids and celebrate their origin stories.

We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive. Create a free account to get started today!

If you’re looking for an egg donor, you may be wondering which attributes are most important. Is it her personality? Her interests? Her ethnicity? Her physical characteristics? As you browse the profiles of donors on our Family by Co platform, you will get to know each potential donor better. You will see what she looked like as a child, learn about her hobbies and life goals, and hopefully find someone who is the right match to help build your family.

So how important is it that the egg donor looks like one of the parents? We get this question a lot, so let’s dive into some considerations. 

Inconspicuous families 

If you want to increase the chances that the donor-conceived child looks like your family, then you may want to find a donor with similar physical features. Keep in mind – even genetic relatives can look wildly different. And picking a donor that looks like you in no way guarantees the child will look like you or the donor! 

No matter how you bring your child into this world, people will ask questions like “where does she get her curly hair?” or “where did he get the tall gene?”. It happens to all families, and most people ask with curiosity, not malice. But – these questions can be triggering to some people. 

What physical traits can I choose for an egg donor?

Our Family by Co platform allows you to search for pre-screened donors based on multiple criteria, including: 

• Race
• Heritage 
• Ancestry
• Hair color
• Eye color
• Height

In addition to these physical traits, you can also search based on:

• Level of education
• Personality
• Left / Right brain

It’s free to create an account and browse the profiles of donors. Click here to get started.

Transracial egg donation

Can you pick an egg donor of a different race? Perhaps you are really drawn to a donor who is like you in so many ways… except her race. Should you still match with them? This route is absolutely possible but should be taken with thoughtful consideration. In the adoption world, conspicuous families are very common. But it does increase the chances of comments and questions from nosy people.  

Selecting a donor of a different race or ethnicity also means that child may grow up with questions about their genetic roots that are different from yours. Talk about race from day one. Show the child the importance of diversity in society, and ensure that you socialize with people of different cultures. Surround yourself with other multiracial families and find ways to expose your child to their genetic culture. 

Can you choose what your egg donor looks like?

You can absolutely choose what your egg donor looks like if that is important to you. If you want as many options as possible, check out our Family by Co platform. Plus, our unique model empowers women to take control of their own reproductive health while giving you the gift of a lifetime. Our donors aren’t doing it for cash – they keep half the eggs retrieved for their own future use, and donate half to your family.

How to find an egg donor that looks like you

Get started today and match quickly! Create a free account to learn about our pre-qualified donors — their values, personalities, and more. Once you’ve found the right match, we’ll make it official with your doctor’s approval. 

Lauren here, CEO of Cofertility and someone who's thought a lot about building my own Jewish family. I know many of our Jewish intended parents are asking themselves questions about Jewish identity and egg donation, so I asked my sister-in-law, Rabbi Julie Bressler to weigh in. Her thoughts are below!

If you are Jewish and beginning the egg donor process, you may be wondering whether it’s important that your egg donor is Jewish as well. Is it the egg donor, the gestational carrier, or the social parent that passes down a person’s Jewish status? These are questions that really didn’t exist until recently as modern medicine has allowed us new ways to build families. So let’s dive in.

Many Jewish intended parents, whether religiously observant or not, want to make sure that their children will be Jewish as well. Remember, Judaism can be both a religion and/or an ethnicity (some even consider it an ethno-religious identity!). With adoption, when a Jewish family adopts a child born to a non-Jewish birth mother, that child can become Jewish through conversion. Is the same true for egg donation? It depends on who you ask, but more than anything, it’s up to you. 

What the Torah says about egg donation

There is no clear injunction in the Torah against donor eggs, and there is a clear imperative to “be fruitful and multiply.” Jewish law, in general, defines a child's native religion according to the religion of the mother at the time of birth. 

Most Jewish people embrace egg donation and recognize the child as Jewish

The Reform movement (which comprises about 70% of Jewish people worldwide), defines Jewish identity based on upbringing rather than on genetics. If a child is raised Jewish and has one Jewish parent, father or mother, the child is considered Jewish, and so the issue of a Jewish egg donor is moot

Furthermore, in 1996, The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly stated that “we hold that a child born to a Jewish woman is Jewish, regardless of the religious status of the ovum donor."

Topics to discuss with your rabbi/cantor/spiritual leader

Talking to your spiritual leader can help you find clarity in what this means to you. So much about Jewish identity is about what feels right for you and talking to your rabbi can help you parse these things out. Here are some sample topics you can discuss:

• How important is it that the egg donor is Jewish? 
• What if the egg donor converted, but was not born Jewish?
• What if I’m carrying the baby? What if a gestational carrier is carrying the baby?
• What is more important, that the donor looks like me or is Jewish?
• If we choose an egg donor who is not Jewish, do we need to convert the child to Judaism? How soon can we do so if we need to?

How to find a Jewish egg donor

Cofertility is a human-first fertility ecosystem rewriting the egg freezing and egg donation experience. Our Family by Co platform serves as a more transparent, ethical egg donor matching platform. Our unique model empowers women to take control of their own reproductive health while giving you the gift of a lifetime. Our donors aren’t doing it for the cash – they keep half the eggs retrieved for their own future use, and donate half to your family.

Join now for free to begin searching for Jewish egg donors!

Rabbi Julie Bressler serves as the Associate Rabbi & Educator at Temple Sinai in Oakland, CA. She is very proud to be co-aunts with Lauren to two wonderful nephews and one awesome niece. Rabbi Bressler is passionate about encouraging folks to live their Judaism, however they define it, proudly and fully in the public and private spheres. She is an advocate for social justice, especially reproductive access, and is grateful that Cofertility exists to help individuals have more agency in their fertility journeys.

According to the CDC, about 12% of all IVF cycles in the U.S. involve eggs retrieved from a donor. Donor-egg IVF has the highest success rate of any fertility treatment, which is why more families are turning to egg donation to build their families. What are some of the reasons a person or couple would need donor eggs? Read on to find out. 

Infertility due to low ovarian reserve 

As the average age of starting a family continues to increase, more and more women are facing the reality that we’re constrained by the number – and quality – of our eggs. Since females are born with all of the follicles we will ever have, the pool of waiting follicles is gradually used up. Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is the medical term for low egg supply which is often associated with poor response to IVF. It happens to all females as we age, but can happen early due to disease or injury.

The good news is, your age when you get pregnant is not as important as the age of the eggs with which you get pregnant. That means your chances of success getting pregnant, no matter your age now, is better with younger donor eggs. 

Repeated IVF failures with own eggs

IVF does not work for everyone. For those who have had low response to ovarian stimulation, embryo quality issues, fertilization issues, and/or implantation failure, donor eggs can increase the chances of success. 

Infertility due to recurrent miscarriage

In addition to the quantity of eggs declining, after the age of 35, it is more common for eggs to begin to accumulate mutations, which can lead to a higher risk of miscarriage. When using donor eggs from a qualified donor, the egg quality concerns are nearly eliminated. In fact, the live birth rate is higher – and the miscarriage rates are lower – for women using donor eggs.

LGBTQ+

For any individual or couple without working ovaries (sex male couples, transgender women, etc.) – egg donation coupled with one partner’s sperm (or sperm from an egg donor) is a viable path to parenthood. Between 2 million and 3.7 million children under age 18 have an LGBTQ+ parent, and 25-50% of transgender individuals are parents. Read more in LGBTQ+ Family-Building Resources.

Genetic mutations

There are some cases when a person or couple carries a hereditary genetic disease that can be transmitted to the offspring and cannot be detected by preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). To decrease the risk of passing on the genetic abnormality to offspring, these families often pursue egg donation.

Single males

Pew Research claims that the number of single fathers — both gay and straight — has increased about ninefold since 1960, from less than 300,000 to more than 2.6 million in 2011. For single males using donor eggs, a gestational carrier would also be needed for the pregnancy. 

People without ovaries

For people born without ovaries, or for those who have had their ovaries surgically removed, egg donation can help them become parents. Some people without ovaries are still capable of carrying a pregnancy without difficulty through donor eggs.

‍Cofertility is a human-first fertility ecosystem rewriting the egg freezing and egg donation experience. Our Family by Co platform serves as a more transparent, ethical egg donor matching platform. We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive.