Fresh Vs. Frozen Egg Donation

The differences between donating fresh and frozen eggs and which is best for you

As you consider becoming an egg donor, you may have seen information on fresh vs. frozen egg donation. What does that mean, and what are the differences between donating fresh or frozen eggs? Choosing what type of egg donation you want affects the timing, logistics, and compensation setup of your egg donation experience. Here are the main differences between fresh vs. frozen egg donation.

What Does Fresh Vs. Frozen Egg Donation Mean?

The main difference in fresh vs. frozen egg donation is how the intended parents receive the eggs. In fresh egg donation, the donor eggs are retrieved and then immediately fertilized in a lab to develop into embryos. The embryos are then frozen to be transferred to the intended parent or gestational carrier’s uterus.

In frozen egg donation, the donor eggs are retrieved and then flash-frozen. When the intended parent is ready, the eggs are thawed and then fertilized. Frozen eggs can be stored for years and still be successfully thawed and used for donor egg IVF.

Is the Egg Retrieval Different for Fresh Vs. Frozen Egg Donation?

From the donor’s perspective, the actual medical process for donating eggs is more or less the same for fresh and frozen egg donation. In both cases, you typically take a prescription birth control pill for a few weeks to regulate your menstrual cycle. Then, you’ll use self-injected hormonal medications to encourage your ovaries to develop more eggs. Once enough eggs have matured, you’ll go into the clinic for the egg retrieval. Once the eggs are retrieved, they are either fertilized or frozen depending on the type of egg donation.

If the donor egg recipient wants a fresh embryo transfer, you may both take birth control pills to synchronize your menstrual cycles for the egg retrieval and embryo transfer. However, this is less common nowadays, as most recipients freeze their embryos to transfer in a separate cycle.

Why Does Fresh Vs. Frozen Egg Donation Matter For Donors?

For donors, the main difference between the two types of egg donation comes down to timing. With fresh egg donation, you wait for an intended parent to match with you before actually donating and receiving compensation. With frozen egg donation, on the other hand, you can donate your eggs as soon as you are approved as a donor. You receive compensation after your egg retrieval, and can donate again if you qualify.

How Do I Know If Fresh Vs. Frozen Egg Donation Is Right For Me?

Becoming an egg donor is a very personal decision. There’s no such thing as a “right” or “wrong” choice, just what works best for you. Depending on your circumstances, preferences, and priorities, either egg donation type might be a better option.

	Flexible Start Time?	Donation Time	Compensation	Relationship With Intended Parents
Fresh	No - must be matched with parent first	Variable; depends on when a parent matches with you	May offer higher rates, but must be matched with parent first	May be able to have a directed or semi-open donation (some amount of personal information or contact with intended parents)
Frozen	Yes - the start of the donation cycle is scheduled around your needs	Typically 2 months from initial application to egg retrieval	Guaranteed with a completed cycle; paid after egg retrieval	With a bank, typically only non-directed donation (no identifying information or contact with intended parents)

We created the frozen egg program at SIMPLIFY to offer the highest combination of convenience and quality for our donors and intended parents alike. To best meet all of our patients’ needs, our partner clinic, Pacific Northwest Fertility (PNWF) also offers fresh egg donation cycles. PNWF has led the field of fresh and frozen egg donation for years, and provides all medical care for our donors and intended parents. As you examine fresh vs. frozen egg donation, we are happy to help answer your questions and figure out which works best for you - reach out to us today.