Fertility centers act as the connection between intended parents and potential egg donors.
There are costs attached on either side of the relationship since intended parents pay to receive donor eggs, while the donors themselves are compensated for their time, effort, and medical procedures.
When trying to start or grow your family, the last thing you probably want to think about is the cost. However, the harsh reality is that the cost is something you first have to come to terms with. This is because the cost is nearly as important a factor as anything else in the course of seeking to build your family.
This importance stems from the inescapable fact that egg donor costs are generally high, and it is compounded by the realization that you have probably already spent thousands of dollars in the quest to conceive.
Thus, there is a lot you need to figure out about the cost of donor eggs, which is an incredibly sensitive and layered matter. A lot of the information surrounding costs is mixed up behind hidden fees, billing by multiple parties, and prices are broken up into different sections.
This article intends to break down the cost information for door eggs to ensure that you are well informed so that you can prepare yourself as best possible for your donor egg IVF cycle.
This article also explores the compensation package for egg donors so that you understand key perspectives involved, thus clarifying some of the confusion involved in the financial aspects of egg donation.
Table of Contents
- Egg donation costs
- Egg donor compensation
- Why the cost of egg donation is important
- conclusion
Egg donation costs
Many factors contribute to the total amount paid by an intended parent to acquire their preferred donor eggs. These include
- compensation for the egg donor,
- fees accrued by using the services of a fertility center,
- fees paid to an egg donation agency, and
- covering the costs of other medical professionals involved.
Intended parents can expect to pay around $30,000 for a complete egg donation cycle. This cost includes
- the donor’s compensation and around $400 set aside for short-term medical insurance issued to the donor.
- donor agency fees of nearly $8,000 that cover matching services, cycle coordination, donor travel coordination, and post-cycle follow-ups.
- legal fees,
- genetic counseling, and
- psychological screening.
The cost of donor eggs also varies greatly, with the most affordable options coming in at around $10,000 while some can cost well over $40,000. You should keep in mind that the need for multiple rounds of donor egg IVF may arise, and this could cause the involved costs to multiply.
Remember that the cost of IVF using donor eggs varies at different fertility centers and that some clinics may charge over $30,000 for a single donor cycle without accounting for medication.
Also, keep in mind that fresh eggs will cost you more compared to frozen eggs, mainly because of the higher success rate of fresh eggs and the logistical differences between the two options.
The medication costs for egg donors are typically an additional charge which cost between $4,000 to $6,000. The recipient of the donor eggs also requires some fertility medication which usually costs between $800 to $1,500.
The associated costs for IVF procedures do not cater to medical tests, ultrasounds, screening, laboratory work, fertility medications, and doctor visits.
Egg donor compensation
Egg donors can expect payment upon the completion of their egg donation. First-time egg donors are paid $10,000 while egg donors who have been through the procedure before are paid around $12,000.
This compensation package can vary, with some fertility centers paying out between $7,000 and $9,000. Other fertility agencies offer compensation of above $12,000 if an egg donor has outstanding qualities that are difficult to find.
This payment package is usually paid to egg donors in two disbursements, with the first payment of around $750 issued upon the start of injectable medications.
The remaining amount is paid upon completion of the egg retrieval procedure, and the amount is typically not affected by the number of eggs retrieved.
Egg donors are therefore paid for each donation, and granted they are allowed to donate eggs 6 times, they have the potential to earn at least $70,000 for multiple egg donation cycles.
Egg donors are entitled to a further $450 to cover medical insurance costs for each donation cycle.
Why is the cost of donor eggs important?
Intended parents exploring donor eggs and IVF have often already spent heavily using their own eggs, and this information should inform them to prepare for what is to be expected.
Also, the estimated cost of a donor egg exceeds the average disposable income reasonably accessible to most people. This is compounded by the realization that insurance packages rarely cover the cost of donor eggs.
Keep in mind that these costs vary widely and that doing your own research will increase the chances of finding a solution that meets your financial expectations.
This also applies to compensation for egg donors, and that browsing several options will allow you to settle on an option whose compensation fairly meets your effort, commitment, and expectations.
Conclusion
Remember that while the aforementioned costs and compensation packages are the industry average, these amounts may differ from one region to another, and from one fertility center to the next.
Also, these costs are susceptible to fluctuations caused by a wide variety of circumstances. Inflation, global phenomena like the Covid-19 pandemic, and other financial factors apply to egg donation costs and compensation.
To ensure you are being treated fairly, whether as an egg donor or egg recipient, reach out to other people who are in a similar situation to yourself and have undergone the process to completion.
Reach out to members of our surrogacy community to explore the experiences of others who have experienced both sides of the egg donation cycle.