Donor Egg Treatment

Egg donation is typically performed for couples with infertility from decreased egg number or decreased egg quality. Additional indications can include repeat IVF failure and female chromosomal abnormalities. 

Coastal Fertility Specialists has developed a well recognized and highly regarded egg donation program including options of both fresh and frozen egg donation. We combine the latest ovarian stimulation and endometrial preparation protocols with blastocyst culture and transfer techniques to maximize pregnancy rates. Our focus is to provide the highest quality egg donors which is done through an extensive screening process. Donor screening includes ovarian reserve testing, drug testing, genetic screening, and psychological screening. At Coastal Fertility Specialists we are very selective about which donors are allowed to participate in the program and only about 1 – 2% of all initial donor applications are ultimately selected for egg donation. This provides our patients with optimal donors and therefore optimal outcomes.  

Coastal Fertility Specialists is also nationally recognized as a leader in Donor Egg Technologies as we are the organizers and hosts of The Donor Egg Meeting which is a national conference in Charleston, South Carolina. 

At Coastal Fertility you have CHOICES in selecting an egg donor but also choice in which type. 

Fresh Donor Eggs

Fresh egg donation is the traditional way egg donation has been performed around the world over the last 25 years. The advantages of fresh egg donation include couples typically getting more eggs, higher pregnancy rates, higher live birth rates and higher numbers of excess embryos for cryopreservation compared to frozen egg donation. The disadvantages of fresh egg donation are that it typically takes 6 weeks longer than frozen egg donation and there are typically less donors available for donation.

Most egg donation programs “push” frozen egg donation over fresh egg donation because they either don’t have a fresh egg donation program or don’t have available donors. Because we have both fresh and frozen egg donations programs, we offer what is best for you; choice. We have a robust fresh egg donation program and we are continuously recruiting and screening donors to be available for our patients so they will have the most options available to them.

There are a variety of cycle types for fresh egg donation:

Single Cycles: Maximized pregnancy rates by giving all of the eggs from the donor are available to you for fertilization and eventual conception. This cycle maximizes the pregnancy rates and typically results in additional embryos for cryopreservation. About half of patients undergoing single cycles have additional embryos available for cryopreservation.

Split Donor Cycles: A way to provide high pregnancy rates and minimize cost. Performed through an agreement in advance that you will obtain half of the mature eggs from an egg donor. The concept is to share the expense of a donor cycle with another recipient couple. 

Frozen Egg Donation

The physicians at Coastal Fertility Specialists were early leaders in the field of oocyte (egg) cryopreservation. Through their efforts they were the physicians responsible for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd babies born in the state of South Carolina from egg freezing.

CFS is also a founding partner of Donor Egg Bank USA, which is a national donor egg bank and allows significant advantages for our patients. Through our affiliation with Donor Egg Bank USA we have been able to cryopreserve large numbers of eggs helping us to refine the technically challenging process of egg freezing.

The advantages to using frozen eggs are generally reduction in cost compared to a fresh egg donor as well as a quicker time to embryo transfer.  The process of using frozen donor eggs starts with an initial consult with your Coastal Fertility Specialist physician. This would be followed by some minor testing to make sure your uterus has a normal shape and is capable of carrying a pregnancy.  Once a donor is selected, the eggs can be shipped to Coastal Fertility and transferred into your uterus within weeks.

Overview of Using Donor Eggs

Learn more about Donor Egg Treatment by watching this in depth overview with Dr. Heather Cook.

For more information, feel free to call one of our donor egg coordinators at 843-883-5800.

Donor Egg Bank USA is the nation’s only frozen donor egg program to be developed through a collaboration of more than 100 reproductive specialists throughout the United States. Donor Egg Bank USA was created to assist fertility patients in their dream of having a baby with the added convenience of a quicker, more affordable treatment process.

“Donor Egg Bank USA offers patients the same baby delivery success rates as most traditional (fresh) donor egg programs, but the process is more affordable and much quicker,” says Heidi Hayes, CEO of Donor Egg Bank USA.  “We work with some of the most well-recognized physicians and centers in the fertility field, and are thrilled to partner with Dr. John Schnorr, Dr. Michael Slowey, Dr. Heather Cook and Dr. Jessica McLaughlin at Coastal Fertility Specialists.”