Frozen Donor Eggs vs. Traditional Egg Donation.
In the usual traditional egg donation method, there is simultaneous synchronization of the fresh egg donor’s menstrual cycle and the recipient mother’s cycle. Controlled ovarian stimulation of the donor’s ovaries is performed to mature the eggs which are inseminated with recipient sperm and subsequently embryos are created. Meanwhile, the intended mother’s uterus is prepared with estrogen and progesterone hormones to receive the embryos. After the transfer of some of the newly created embryos into the intended mother, pregnancy may occur. Any unused, surplus embryos are frozen (cryopreserved) for use in the future.
This method of traditional oocyte donation process has some logistical problems. It is often difficult to coordinate the donor’s and the recipient’s cycles due to donor non-compliance with FDA regulations; medication errors made by the donor; inadvertent pregnancy by the donor; problems with the donor’s travel arrangements which are paid by the recipient; donor demands for excessive payment and unexpected cancellation of the cycle by the donor. Also, there is the issue of storing unused, excess embryos which may be used or often abandoned by the intended parents. The entire cost of this process must be borne by the recipient of the donated eggs.
On the other hand, utilization of the frozen donor egg method, makes it possible for a more controlled ovarian stimulation of the egg donor independently of a recipient’s menstrual cycle. Then, at her own convenience, the recipient mother can select the donor’s stored cryopreserved oocytes which can be thawed in order to achieve a pregnancy.
This innovation in egg freezing technology, dramatically improves the efficiency of the egg donation process thus minimizing the cost donor egg fertility treatment for th intended parents.
In summary, the advantages of using donor frozen eggs vs. fresh donor eggs are: