Using donor eggs: steps, costs and treatment

Medically reviewed by Dr Wael Saab, fertility specialist and senior medical director at CRGH.

Deciding to use donor eggs can feel a big step in your fertility journey. For some people, donor eggs are considered once previous IVF treatment has been unsuccessful or tests show that using your own eggs is unlikely to lead to a successful pregnancy. For others, donor eggs may always have been part of the way you planned to build your family.

Whatever has brought you to this point, it’s natural to have questions. How are egg donors chosen? What does treatment involve? Will you have information about your donor? How much does donor egg IVF cost? Can you make any choices about who your donor is and what they look like?

In this guide, we explain how IVF with donor eggs works, the steps involved and some of the things you may want to think about before starting treatment.

IVF with donor eggs at a glance

• What is IVF with donor eggs? IVF where eggs provided by a donor are fertilised with partner or donor sperm to create embryos for transfer.
• Who might consider donor eggs? They might be recommended for reasons like low ovarian reserve, poor egg quality, previous unsuccessful IVF, recurrent miscarriage, early menopause, previous cancer treatment or the risk of passing on a genetic condition. Donor eggs can also be used by male same-sex couples through surrogacy and in other family-building pathways.
• Can I choose my donor? At CRGH, you’ll complete a donor preferences form. Our matching process takes into consideration factors like ethnicity, physical characteristics, medical background and personal profile information.
• Are donor eggs fresh or frozen? Our in-house programme offers access to both fresh and frozen donor eggs.
• How much does treatment cost? Our current donor egg packages start from £12,290. Your individual costs will depend on your treatment plan and package.
• Is there a waiting list? In most cases, no. But availability can vary where specific ethnicity requirements need to be considered.

What is IVF with donor eggs?

IVF with donor eggs follows many of the same principles as standard IVF but instead of using your own eggs, eggs from a carefully selected donor are used to create embryos. The donor eggs are fertilised in the laboratory using sperm from your partner or a donor. The resulting embryos are then cultured before a suitable embryo is transferred into the uterus of the person who will carry the pregnancy.

At CRGH, we freeze embryos created using donor eggs ahead of transfer. Your womb lining is then prepared for the embryo transfer as part of your treatment plan. One important difference from standard IVF is that the recipient doesn’t need to go through ovarian stimulation and egg collection.

Why might donor eggs be recommended?

There are many reasons someone might consider using donor eggs and the decision will be different for everyone. Donor egg IVF could be recommended if you have a low ovarian reserve or concerns around egg quality. It could also be considered following unsuccessful IVF treatment or recurrent miscarriage, after early menopause or some cancer treatments, or where there’s a risk of passing on a genetic condition.

Age can also play a part. As we get older, both the number and quality of eggs naturally decline. Because the eggs used in donor egg IVF come from the donor, the age and egg quality of the donor are particularly important factors in creating embryos.

But deciding whether to move from treatment with your own eggs to donor eggs isn’t purely a clinical decision.

“For many patients, the point at which we discuss donor eggs comes after a long fertility journey, so we recognise that it can take time to process. Our role is to explain why we think donor eggs may offer another route forward and give patients the space and information they need to decide how they feel about that option.” – Dr Wael Saab, Consultant Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist at CRGH

How does treatment with donor eggs work?

Every treatment plan is individual but at CRGH our process generally involves five main steps.

Step 1: Consultation and fertility investigations

You’ll start with a consultation with a fertility specialist. Your specialist will review your medical and fertility history, discuss any previous treatment and recommend any investigations you may need.

These could include hormone tests, ultrasound scans, semen analysis, genetic screening or an assessment of the uterus. This is also your opportunity to ask questions about donor conception and understand what treatment could look like for you.

Step 2: Tell us what’s important to you in a donor

At CRGH, you’ll complete a donor preferences form to help us find a suitable match.

This might include preferences around ethnicity and physical characteristics, as well as consideration of the donor’s medical background and personal profile.

It’s worth remembering that donor matching isn’t about finding an exact replica of you. Our team can talk you through the information available and help you think about which characteristics matter most to you.

Step 3: Matching with your egg donor

At CRGH, we have our own private UK-based egg donor bank and have supported patients through egg donation treatment for more than 35 years. Our programme offers both fresh and frozen donor eggs. Once you’re approved for treatment, we’ll begin matching you with a suitable donor.

In most cases, there is no waiting time, although it can take longer where a particular ethnicity needs to be considered.

Step 4: Fertilisation and embryo creation

When fresh donor eggs are used, we fertilise the donor’s eggs immediately after egg collection using partner or donor sperm in the CRGH laboratory.

We then monitor the embryos as they develop and provide daily updates to you with information about their progress – just as we do if it were your eggs being used. The aim is taking the embryos to blastocyst stage on day 5 to 6.

Step 5: Preparing for embryo transfer

The embryos are cultured and frozen ahead of transfer. Your consultant will prepare your womb lining so that it’s ready for the embryo transfer. A suitable embryo can then be thawed and transferred into your uterus.

If there are other suitable embryos, these may be frozen for possible future treatment.

What will I know about my egg donor?

This is understandably one of the biggest questions for many people considering donor conception.

Through our programme, you can receive comprehensive non-identifying information about your donor. This can include physical characteristics, ethnicity, medical and fertility history and personal information such as interests and hobbies.

It’s also important to understand what donor anonymity means in the UK.

A person conceived using donated eggs can access non-identifying information about their donor from age 16. At 18, they can request identifying information about their donor through the HFEA. Our team will talk you through what this means before treatment.

Counselling is also an important part of the donor conception process at CRGH, giving you dedicated time to explore how you feel about using donor eggs, what donor conception may mean for your family and conversations you may have with your future child.

You’ll meet with a specialist fertility counsellor as part of your treatment pathway, with ongoing counselling and support available throughout your journey.

Will my baby be genetically related to me?

This is where the science of epigenetics comes in. While the DNA blueprint comes from the donor egg, the birth parent carrying the baby influences which genes are activated and which ones stay silent.

The uterine environment helps to influence the embryo, so you aren’t just the carrier, your own body’s signals will help shape the child’s development, health and even physical similarities like facial expressions and mannerisms.

What are the success rates for IVF with donor eggs?

Success will always depend on individual circumstances, so statistics can’t tell you exactly what will happen in your own treatment. However, donor egg treatment can offer strong success rates because the quality and age of the donated eggs play an important role in embryo development.

At CRGH, 51.4% of embryos transferred using donor eggs resulted in a live birth in 2023 across all recipient ages.

Most donor egg recipients at CRGH are also eligible for our Blastocyst Guarantee. This means that if the process doesn’t create one usable embryo for transfer, we’ll cover the cost of another donor.

How much does IVF with donor eggs cost?

The cost of donor egg IVF depends on the treatment and package you choose.

We have three donor egg packages:

• Essential – £12,290
• Enhanced – £13,290
• Advanced – £15,290

All three include ICSI and extended embryo culture, while the Enhanced and Advanced packages include additional laboratory methods. Storage periods and the number of blastocysts covered by the guarantee also vary by package.

Before treatment begins, we’ll provide you with a detailed, itemised treatment plan so you can understand the expected costs.

How do we choose our donors?

At CRGH, egg donation is a rigorous, medically supervised process. Potential donors must meet strict eligibility criteria: they must be aged 18–35, be non-smokers, have a healthy BMI and have no medical or genetic conditions or family history of inherited conditions.

Meeting those initial criteria is only the beginning. Prospective donors have a consultation with our lead egg donation consultant and speak with a specialist fertility counsellor before undergoing blood tests and investigations, typically including an ovarian reserve test. The results are then reviewed with a consultant before a personalised donation plan is confirmed.

Screening and monitoring continue throughout the donation cycle. During ovarian stimulation, donors have regular scans and blood tests so that our clinical team can closely monitor their response and adjust medication where necessary. The timing of egg collection is then determined by the consultant based on these results.

Is using donor eggs right for me?

Choosing donor eggs can involve practical, medical and emotional considerations.

For some people, it feels like an exciting next step. For others, particularly after spending a long time trying to conceive using their own eggs, it can take time to feel comfortable with a different route to parenthood.

Both responses are completely understandable and we’re here to support you through every stage of your journey.

“One thing I would encourage patients to remember is that you don’t have to arrive at your first consultation having already made your decision. Donor conception can bring up questions about genetics, identity and what becoming a parent will look like for you. Those conversations are an important part of the process, and we’re here to support you through them.” – Dr Wael Saab, fertility specialist and senior medical director at CRGH.

If you’re considering IVF with donor eggs, book a consultation with the CRGH fertility team. We can talk through your fertility history, explain your donor options and help you understand whether donor egg treatment could be right for you.