What Does the Donor Egg IVF Cost in the US?

Donor Egg IVF Cost in the US – Overview

Tens of thousands of women across the US suffer from infertility. IVF has been the leading treatment for infertility for years now. However, those who wish to undergo IVF treatment often find the cost of donor eggs exorbitant.

Donor eggs cost significantly, many times more than the average American household’s annual disposable income.

Combine it with the fact that most recipients who are seeking donor eggs have already spent thousands of dollars on failed IVF cycles using their eggs. The lack of health insurance coverage also raises the cost of donor eggs remarkably.

To help you make the right decision, we’ve listed details and hidden charges that you might not be aware of normally.

What is the use of donor eggs in IVF?

Donor egg IVF is a form of fertility treatment that is like a conventional IVF treatment but with one huge difference: the recipient getting pregnant uses another woman’s eggs.

Donor eggs are used for various reasons, such as the recipient being an older woman, the recipient having low ovarian reserves and gay men and women or single men, along with cancer survivors who failed to freeze their eggs, and even those who have failed or more IVF cycles.

Are there different types of donor eggs in IVF?

Yes, several different types of donor eggs are used in IVF treatment. These are usually categorized as fresh or frozen and classified under non-anonymous, anonymous or known.

Frozen donor eggs are kept secure in a frozen state using liquid nitrogen and are used after proper thawing. Recipients can get frozen donor eggs from stand-alone egg banks or from fertility treatment centers that run individual donor egg programs.

What does the Donor Egg IVF Cost – Are there different types of donor eggs in IVF

Fresh eggs, on the other hand, are eggs that are not frozen. The donor undergoes an egg retrieval procedure after being vetted and confirmed by the recipient’s parents.

Fresh eggs are normally bought directly from a fertility center’s donor egg program or directly sourced from egg donor agencies.

Non-anonymous eggs are sourced from donors who don’t have a problem sharing their true identity with the recipient’s parents and the resulting child.

Anonymous eggs are retrieved from donors who do not wish their real identities to be disclosed to the recipient parents and their resulting child.

Known egg donors are those who are normally known by the recipient, such as friends or family members.

Irrespective of whether the donor egg is anonymous or non-anonymous, the recipient is usually given access to the donor’s basic demography, education, ethnicity, childhood pictures, and other similar information.

Where can you buy donor eggs for IVF?

There are three main sources where a recipient can buy donor eggs directly from:

1 – Fertility Clinics

Most fertility clinics have their own donor egg program and offer fresh and frozen donor eggs.

2 – Donor Egg Banks

Donor egg banks sell frozen donor eggs that are transported directly to fertility clinics for treatment.

3 – Donor Egg Agencies

Donor egg agencies work similarly to donor egg banks and are not in collaboration with a particular fertility clinic. However, donor egg agencies usually collaborate for fresh donor egg cycles through a country-wide network of egg donors.

How much does a donor egg cost?

Fresh donor eggs usually cost twice the price of frozen donor eggs. The cost of fresh donor eggs can be in tens of thousands of dollars, with the average donor egg costing around US$ 25,000.

There are additional fees combined with this cost, including hormone shots, bloodwork, ultrasounds, travel fees for donors, legal fees, doctor’s visits, etc.

When you require only a single IVF cycle to conceive, the cost can get multiplied, too. Adding all the general costs, the total cost of a donor egg for IVF treatment can run up from US$ 35,000 to US$ 65,000.

Although frozen eggs are less expensive, they are still considerably costly. The frozen eggs come at a slightly lower rate because you only need to pay for the cost of transporting the eggs to the fertility clinics and the costs associated with the IVF treatment.

Are donor eggs covered by insurance?

No, donor eggs are not covered under health insurance policies. However, some insurance providers may offer to cover the IVF cycle cost if your insurance policy explicitly covers IVF treatment.

It is strongly advised to call and talk with your health insurance provider and confirm what treatment costs are covered under your medical insurance policy.

Conclusion

Although costly, egg donation has helped women struggling with fertility challenges to know the joy of having their own baby. Donor egg IVF treatment helps thousands of women get successfully pregnant in the US.

Shubham Grover

I am a dedicated healthcare researcher and an enthusiast specializing in medical grants, medical education and research. Through my articles, I aim to empower healthcare professionals and researchers with valuable insights and resources to navigate these critical aspects effectively.

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