Egg Donation and Egg Donor Costs

IHR.com directory of Egg Donor Programs

This page provides information about egg donation (also called "ovum donation" or "donor ovum") costs for egg donors and for the entire egg donation process.

Egg donation, also referred to as oocyte donation, makes pregnancy possible for women who might not otherwise be able to get pregnant using their own eggs. Approximately 3,000 babies are born each year to women using donor eggs.

Here are some examples of conditions/situations, where a woman would consider egg donation:

  • Women who have diminished ovarian function and are unable to produce good quality eggs
  • Women who lack ovaries
  • Women who have non-functioning ovaries due to chemotherapy, radiation or premature menopause.
  • Women who have not responded well to ovarian drug therapy or have persistently produced poor-quality eggs during previous IVF attempts.
  • Women carrying genetically transmitted diseases

Expenses

Egg donation costs vary between IVF clinics, donor agencies, and regions. The total donor egg cost can range from approximately $20,000 up to $40,000, but is more typically in the $25,000 - $30,000 range.

It is important to find out what is included, and what is not included, before starting a cycle.

Below is an estimate of typical egg donation costs, with ranges, by category.

Expense Type Charge Comments
Egg donor program administration fees $1,000 - $6,000 Egg donor agencies charge an administrative fee. Depending on the agency, the fee might include some of the items below. It is important get a detailed account of what the fee includes.

IVF clinic donor programs may, or may not, charge an administrative fee. What is included varies by clinic.
International client fee $500 International exchange expenses incurred by agency
Donor retainer $400 - $500  
Donor compensation (plus expenses) $5,000 - $10,000 See section below for more details
Psychological screening for donor $400 - $600  
Intended parents' attorney fees $700 - $1800 For drafting contract
Legal counsel for egg donor $350  
Insurance policy $350  
Legal counsel for egg donor $350  
Donor (and donor's companion) travel expenses $3,000 - $7000 If donor travels, then cost can include costs for airfare, hotel, ground transportation, food, etc.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) $12,000 - $15,000  
Donor medication $2,000 - $4,000  
Recipient medication $500 - $1,000  

Egg Donor Expenses - More Details

In most cases, the egg donor receives monetary compensation for her time and inconvenience of going through the treatment. It may also include reimbursement for missed wages, travel expenses, communication expenses, gasoline and childcare.

  • Compensation usually varies from $4,000 to $10,000.
  • ASRM and SART state that payments to donors in excess of $5,000 require justification and sums above $10,000 are not appropriate.

Financing and Payment Options

  • Some clinics offer financing and/or different pricing plans for IVF and egg donation - e.g. see our IHR.com Financial Assistance Providers page.
     
  • Some clinics offer the option of using either a shared (also called split), or exclusive donor. Shared means setting up two recipients to evenly share the eggs retrieved from a single donor, at a lower  cost. Read more about shared egg donation.

Additional Information