For many of us, the desire to have children of our own isn’t something we can “switch off.” It’s a natural instinct that’s built into us, and only grows stronger despite the challenges we may face.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t always have the same plans as we do, which leaves us desperately fighting for an experience we’ve always thought would be “normal” and “simple.”
Nevertheless, with a variety of infertility options available, including finding a qualified egg donor from Donor Egg Bank USA, it is possible to overcome this challenge. Frozen donor egg IVF can satisfy those instincts to carry and give birth to your own child.
How Are Eggs Linked to Infertility Problems?
While men produce sperm their entire lives, women are born with a certain amount of eggs that never replenish. This means eggs are subject to the same aging effects as the rest of the cells in your body,while sperm is much less affected.
At birth, a girl will have two million eggs on average. This may sound like an abundance of eggs, but in fact, while she was in utero, she may have up to seven million eggs. So before she was even born, her eggs had already begun to die.
By the time she enters puberty, most of her eggs will have deteriorated and being reabsorbed by the body. As a teen, she will have approximately 300,000 eggs left in her ovaries.
The number of eggs,as well as their viability, continues to decrease over time. When a woman turns 30, she may only have 12% left; by the time she hits 40, she has just 3%.
Discovering there’s a problem with your eggs can be difficult to accept and will evoke a whole host of feelings. Having put so much effort and emotion into trying for a baby, suggestions of surrogacy or adoption may not meet the expectations you have of being a parent.
How Do You Choose an Egg Donor?
After deciding to pursue donor egg IVF, your donor search begins. To find a donor that meets their needs, most couples work with a fertility clinic or third-party agency.
Donors available through egg banks have undergone many medical evaluations and tests to determine any psychological or physical issues. For example, they are all tested for an array of genetic diseases, so you needn’t worry about including this criterion in your search.
You may wish for your donor to have similar physical traits to you, or you may focus on non-physical characteristics such as their hobbies, interests, education, or profession. There aren’t many limitations to the traits you can include, which allows you to be very specific. However, to find the best possible match, you should allow several months for the selection process.
How Does the Frozen Egg Donor Process Work?
After finding your donor, the frozen eggs are shipped to your clinic in a tank charged with liquid nitrogen. When ready to be used, they’re thawed and fertilized with your partner’s (or donor’s) sperm. Then, they’re placed in an incubator for three to five days while the cells divide and develop into an embryo.
Before implantation, you’ll need to self-administer medications to prepare the lining of your uterus to accept the embryos. These medications may vary depending on your clinic, but most treatment plans include a course of estrogen followed progesterone to ensure successful implantation.
Once ready, 1-2 fertilized eggs are implanted in your uterus. After two weeks, two blood tests will measure for hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin, the pregnancy hormone). When an ultrasound detects your baby’s heartbeat, this will confirm your pregnancy.
Fresh vs. Frozen Donor Egg Cycles
In a frozen donor egg cycle, your menstrual cycle doesn’t need to be synced with your donor’s – as is required in fresh – which means it’s a much faster process from beginning to end. Instead of coordinating with another person to determine when your donor egg cycle should start, you have the freedom to make this decision yourself.
Frozen donor egg cycles also come with the flexibility of booking appointments at your local clinic, rather than traveling miles to your donor clinic to receive your treatment – or facing the costs of bringing the donor to you.
This flexibility, along with success rates almost the same as fresh donor egg IVF, is why a frozen donor egg is an increasingly popular choice for many couples.
A New Chapter in Your Infertility Journey
Despite an infertility diagnosis, it’s still possible to achieve the dream family you’ve always hoped for. Using a trusted fertility clinic and egg bank, you may enjoy the unbeatable feeling of having your baby grow inside you, knowing that your hard work, determination, and natural instincts have created the miracle of life.
With fresh or frozen donor egg IVF, you and your partner can take a step forward together, moving toward a perfect family.
