A mother’s age at delivery and the use of donor eggs are both trending up. They naturally go hand in hand. As a woman ages, it becomes harder to conceive because healthy eggs are harder to come by. These days, it is common to see a woman in her 40s going shopping for donor eggs as an alternative way to have a baby.
The use of donor eggs, which are implanted via in vitro fertilization (IVF), is a viable treatment option for women who fall into one of the following categories:
- Do not produce healthy eggs
- Early menopause or premature ovarian failure
- History of genetic disease
- Ovaries do not respond to other treatment
- Hormonal imbalances
- Over the age of 40
More pregnancies in women over 40
One of the key benefits of using an egg donor is enhancing your chance of success with less risk. Jim Toner, M.D., PhD, a reproductive endocrinologist, shared the following encouraging statistics on women in their early 40s who have turned to IVF with donor eggs:
- The chance of a successful pregnancy with IVF alone is 10%. With a donor egg, that success rate jumps up to 60 - 70%.
- The chance of miscarriages goes from more than half to approximately 10%.
- Birth defects are reduced to 0.1% compared to 2%.
Hand-picking egg donors
Not only are the success rates better in aging women who choose to use donor eggs, but Dr. Toner says the prospect of selecting a donor egg has changed dramatically in the last five years as well. “Women have the ability to select an egg donor that has a genetic profile that more closely resembles their own traits. This allows couples to keep a lower profile when they use a donor egg and allows greater emotional attachment to a child who potentially could look very similar to the family.”
Benefits of using frozen eggs
Dr. Toner says the use of frozen eggs versus fresh eggs is especially on the rise. This is because these eggs have already been harvested in advance, allowing women on the receiving end to proceed with the IVF procedure more quickly. Recipients do not have to wait for the egg donor to undergo treatment, which can take up to four weeks.
Frozen eggs also come at a reduced cost. On average, 16-18 eggs are harvested from one single donor. Donors are usually in their 20s and are fully pre-screened mentally and physically. The eggs from one donor are often divided between two to three women, which helps keep the cost down. However, keep in mind that insurance rarely pays for this treatment, so it is still expensive, averaging $20,000 to $40,000.
Women have more choices
“There is a lot of exciting activity currently taking place in the area of fertility,” Dr. Toner says. “This amazing technology is allowing older women to find that needle in the haystack that they are looking for. Now women have more choices, so why not exercise them.”
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