In-House Egg Donation Program at American Reproductive Centers
A carefully screened, diverse selection of donors, managed under our expert medical care for a seamless, successful journey.
At American Reproductive Centers, our egg donation program locates and screens egg donors who can provide healthy eggs for women who are unable to conceive due to advanced ovarian age, elevated FSH, multiple failed IVF attempts, or premature ovarian failure. Deciding to be a recipient of egg donation is an extremely rewarding and effective method of conception that allows you to be fully involved in the development of a child from the moment of his or her conception.
What Is In-House Egg Donation?
Egg donation is a form of assisted reproduction where a donor provides her eggs to help you build your family. The donor undergoes an IVF cycle to retrieve her eggs, which are then fertilized in our laboratory with sperm from your partner or a sperm donor.
The resulting embryos are transferred to your uterus, where you carry the pregnancy. If you’re unable to carry a pregnancy, the embryos can be transferred to a gestational carrier. You are the legal mother and raise the child, even though the donor provided the genetic material.
Egg donation allows women who cannot use their own eggs to experience pregnancy and childbirth while building their family.
Advantages to Egg Donation Include:
- The opportunity to experience all the wonders of motherhood from the very beginning that will allow you to create a lasting bond with your child.
- Choice of the characteristics of the donor, allowing you to find an egg donor whose attributes are very similar to yours.
- Providing the fetus an environment that you know and trust for its growth and nurture – your own body!
- The possibility of multiple embryos that can be used in the future if you decide to have another child.
Everything you need to know about our Egg Donation Program!
How ARC’s In-House Egg Donation Program Works
For Intended Parents (Recipients)
Step 1: Initial Consultation
You’ll meet with Dr. Abdallah to discuss your medical history, review your options, and determine if egg donation is right for you. We’ll explain the process, timeline, success rates, and costs in detail.
Step 2: Medical Evaluation
You’ll undergo testing to ensure your uterus is healthy and ready to carry a pregnancy. This includes blood work, an ultrasound, a uterine cavity evaluation (saline sonogram or HSG), and infectious disease screening. If you have a partner providing sperm, he’ll also need semen analysis and infectious disease screening.
Step 3: Donor Selection
You’ll receive secure access to our online donor database, where you can review detailed profiles of pre-screened donors. Profiles include photos, physical characteristics, ethnic background, education, career, hobbies, personality traits, and comprehensive medical and family health history.
Take your time reviewing profiles. You can search by physical traits, ethnicity, education level, or other criteria that matter to you. Our team is available to answer questions and help you make your decision.
Step 4: Cycle Coordination
Once you’ve selected a donor, we coordinate the medical cycles. For a fresh cycle, your cycle is synchronized with the donor’s cycle. You’ll take medications to prepare your uterine lining while the donor takes medications to stimulate her ovaries.
For a frozen egg cycle, you select from eggs that have already been retrieved and frozen. This offers more flexibility in timing.
Step 5: Egg Retrieval and Fertilization
The donor undergoes egg retrieval at our clinic. Her eggs are immediately fertilized in our laboratory with sperm from your partner or a sperm donor using ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). The embryos are cultured for 5 to 6 days until they reach the blastocyst stage.
Step 6: Embryo Transfer
One healthy embryo is transferred to your uterus in a simple, painless procedure. Any remaining high-quality embryos are frozen for future use. About 10 days after transfer, you’ll take a pregnancy test.
The Donor’s Journey (Managed by ARC)
Rigorous Screening Process
Every donor completes an extensive application and undergoes a comprehensive screening that meets and exceeds FDA guidelines. This includes:
- Complete medical history and physical examination
- Genetic carrier screening for common inherited diseases
- Infectious disease testing (HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, and others)
- Ovarian reserve testing to confirm good egg supply
- Psychological evaluation to ensure emotional readiness
- Drug screening
- Background check
Only healthy women between the ages of 21 and 32 with proven fertility potential are accepted into our program.
Ovarian Stimulation
Once matched with you, the donor takes injectable fertility medications for approximately 10 to 12 days to stimulate her ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs. She comes to our clinic every few days for monitoring appointments.
Egg Retrieval
The donor undergoes the same safe, minimally invasive egg retrieval procedure as an IVF patient. The procedure takes 15 to 20 minutes under light sedation. She recovers quickly and can return to normal activities within a day or two.
Compensation
Egg donors are compensated for their time, effort, and commitment according to American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) guidelines. Compensation is not payment for eggs but acknowledgment of the donor’s generous contribution.
Donor egg IVF has the highest success rates of any fertility treatment because the eggs come from young, healthy, fertile women in their peak reproductive years. Live birth rates per embryo transfer are typically 60% to 70%, regardless of the recipient’s age.
Why are success rates so high?
The age and quality of the egg are the most important factors in IVF success. Donor eggs come from women ages 21 to 32 who have excellent ovarian reserve and egg quality. Even if you’re 45, your success rates using donor eggs from a 26-year-old donor are similar to what a 26-year-old would have using her own eggs.
What affects your specific success rate:
- Your uterine health and ability to carry a pregnancy
- Sperm quality from your partner or donor
- Embryo quality and whether you use PGT-A testing
- Your overall health and any medical conditions
Most patients who use donor eggs achieve pregnancy within one to two embryo transfers.
Success Rates with Donor Eggs
Legal and Emotional Considerations
Legal Agreements
All egg donation cycles require legal contracts between you and the donor. These agreements outline parental rights, donor anonymity, compensation, and responsibilities. You’ll work with a reproductive attorney who specializes in third-party reproduction. We provide referrals to experienced attorneys.
Disclosure to Your Child
This is a personal decision. Some parents choose to tell their children about their donor conception, while others do not. Research suggests openness can be healthy, but the choice is yours. We can connect you with counselors who specialize in donor conception family dynamics.
Emotional Support
Using donor eggs involves complex emotions. Some intended mothers grieve the loss of a genetic connection, while others feel immediate peace with their decision. Both reactions are normal. We offer referrals to fertility counselors who can help you process your feelings and move forward with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the success rates using donor eggs?
Donor egg IVF has very high success rates, typically 60% to 70% live birth rate per embryo transfer. Success rates are high because the eggs come from young, healthy, fertile women in their peak reproductive years. The age of the egg matters much more than the age of the woman carrying the pregnancy.
Can I see photos of the donors?
Yes. Our password-protected donor database includes adult photos and sometimes childhood photos, along with extensive profiles detailing physical traits, ethnic background, education, career, hobbies, personality characteristics, and complete medical and family health history.
How do I choose the right donor?
Many intended parents look for donors with physical characteristics similar to themselves or their family. Others prioritize education, personality traits, or shared interests. There’s no wrong way to choose. Our team can guide you through the decision-making process and help you identify what matters most to you.
Is the donation anonymous?
Most donations through our program are anonymous, meaning you and the donor do not know each other’s identities. However, some donors are open to future contact when the child reaches adulthood. You can also arrange a known or directed donation with a friend or family member, provided they pass our medical and psychological screening.
What if the donor cycle doesn't produce enough eggs or embryos?
This is rare with our carefully screened donors, but if a fresh cycle produces fewer eggs than expected, we work with you to determine the best next step. Options may include another cycle with the same donor, selecting a different donor, or adjusting your family-building plan. We’ll support you in making the decision that’s right for your situation.
How long does the process take from start to pregnancy test?
Costs vary based on whether you choose a fresh or frozen cycle and whether you need additional services like PGT-A testing or ICSI. Our financial counselors provide detailed, transparent pricing during your consultation. Many patients find the investment worthwhile given the high success rates.
Take the Next Step
Using donor eggs opens the door to parenthood for thousands of families every year. With ARC’s in-house program, you’ll experience personalized care, exceptional success rates, and a coordinated team dedicated to helping you achieve your dream of having a baby.
Dr. Abdallah and our team are here to answer your questions, help you explore your options, and guide you through every step of your donor egg journey.
Advantages to Egg Donation Include:
- The opportunity to experience all the wonders of motherhood from the very beginning that will allow you to create a lasting bond with your child.
- Choice of the characteristics of the donor, allowing you to find an egg donor whose attributes are very similar to yours.
- Providing the fetus an environment that you know and trust for its growth and nurture – your own body!
- The possibility of multiple embryos that can be used in the future if you decide to have another child.
Everything you need to know about our Egg Donation Program!
Where Success is Measured in Heartbeats!
Our Locations:
1180 N Indian Canyon Dr. Suites 301/303, Palm Springs, CA 92262
1-760-346-4334
255 Terracina Blvd. – Suite 202, Redlands, CA 92373
1-760-346-4334
(An ARC affiliate)
330 S Magnolia Ave suite 201, El Cajon, CA 92020
1-619-768-1110