Welcome to our FAQ Page for Intended Parents interested in using donor eggs. If you have a question that wasn't covered on this page, please feel free to reach out and we will be happy to assist you!
Established in 2012
Donor Nexus is an international egg bank and egg donor agency located in Newport Beach, California, working with both egg donors and intended parents worldwide. As a third-party agency, we work closely with your designated fertility clinic to coordinate for an egg donor to travel to your clinic for a fresh cycle or to arrange for frozen donor eggs to be shipped to your clinic. Regardless of where you're at on your path to parenthood, our team is here to support you in any way we can.
At Donor Nexus, we believe that any couple or individual who dreams of growing their family should have the opportunity to pursue that dream. We support the right of all loving families to access care, including traditional married couples, unmarried couples, same-sex couples, and individuals seeking a single-parent family.
At Donor Nexus, we are passionate about helping create families and are honored to be a part of your journey. We understand the importance of establishing trust as we support you throughout this monumental time in your life and we're proud to share a few benefits of choosing to work with us:
With over a decade of experience, we are well-versed in the intricate process of donor egg IVF (DEIVF) and we work right alongside you with the same end goal in mind and do our absolute best to help you get there. Don't just take our word for it, we invite you to read through testimonials from our previous intended parents here.
To get started, register to our online donor database to begin browsing donor profiles. In our online database, you will find a wide variety of egg donors participating in fresh 1-on-1 cycles in addition to many who have already completed their cycle and have frozen donor eggs available in the Donor Nexus Egg Bank.
After you register, you will receive an email with additional information about the program that you are interested in. We are available for consultations in person, over the phone, or via Zoom. Visit our Donor Egg IVF Process page for a more comprehensive overview.
We know that deciding to use donor eggs isn't made lightly. We've made it our mission to not only help intended parents once they've made the leap to use donor eggs, but to also provide transparent information to empower you with knowledge and guide you through the decision-making process. Browse our Blog for Intended Parents for a wealth of information about this unique path to parenthood -- and even find personal stories from others who have had similar journeys.
We're happy to schedule a free consultation with you to review our program offerings and answer any questions you may have.
Fresh One-On-One Egg Donor Cycles provide you with a wide selection of donors and typically provide you with a larger quantity of eggs than a frozen cycle. For this reason, fresh cycles are ideal for those who are hoping for more than one child.
Using Frozen Donor Eggs is for those who wish for a straightforward, simplified, and quicker process. When selecting frozen donor eggs, the egg donor's part is already done so the cycle and embryo transfer can be scheduled with ease. Frozen eggs from the Donor Nexus Egg Bank (DNEB) are available to be shipped to your designated fertility clinic almost immediately upon confirmation.
Premier Egg Donors are women who possess specific in-demand characteristics, such as rare ethnicities, highly educated/high test scores, prestigious lines of work, exceptional athletic or creative talents, and more. We have premier egg donors available for fresh or frozen cycles.
Donor Embryo Cycles are for intended parent(s) interested in using embryos that were donated by other patients. Embryo donation can be a more affordable option than egg donation since the cost includes cycle coordination, embryo thawing, embryo transfer, and monitoring. However, the cycle cost does not cover pre-testing and medications. Donor embryo cycles are relatively straightforward, although the recipient(s) will need to travel to our partner fertility clinic in Southern California for the embryo transfer. Visit our Embryo Donation Program Page for additional information.
Yes, as a third-party agency, we can work with most fertility clinics worldwide. We will work closely with your designated fertility clinic to coordinate your donor egg cycle.
If you are an international patient or have not established care with a fertility clinic, we are happy to refer you to a clinic in Southern California that we have partnered with.
Our egg donors are young women aged 19 to 30 years who are fit, healthy, and happy. They are college students, working women, and sometimes mothers themselves. They are individuals who wish to do something to help others and believe in Donor Nexus’ mission of providing egg donation to the many thousands who need it. Our egg donors are available to travel to clinics outside of their area for the egg donor cycle.
Many egg donors approach Donor Nexus on their own when they hear about the program through a friend, family member, or past patient. We have an excellent referral program that encourages egg donors who have had positive experiences with our agency or egg bank to refer their friends or family members who are interested in becoming egg donors themselves.
Donor Nexus adheres to all ASRM egg donor requirement recommendations.
Intake Screening: Before the egg donor is uploaded to the database, she completes and submits an extensive application and questionnaire that is reviewed to determine if she would be a suitable egg donor candidate. If the application is accepted, the egg donor candidates are interviewed by Donor Nexus either in person, via Zoom, or over the phone.
Medical screening: Each egg donor completes a comprehensive medical questionnaire and is interviewed and examined by a board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Subspecialist. The exam includes both a physical examination and ultrasound assessment of the uterus and ovaries.
Ovarian reserve testing: To ensure that the egg donor will be a top producer of eggs, each egg donor has ovarian reserve testing completed. This testing consists of a blood test looking at follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), and an antral follicle count (AFC). The antral follicle count is a special ultrasound where the examiner counts the number of resting eggs the egg donor has. These three tests allow us to reject any egg donor that is not likely to have a good response to fertility medication, greatly reducing the risk of poor response or poor egg quality.
Genetic screening (as requested by the specified fertility clinic): The egg donor is interviewed by a certified genetic counselor to identify egg donors who may have an increased risk for genetic diseases. The genetic counselor then recommends any specific tests needed for that specific egg donor based on her family history and ethnicity. In addition to these specific tests, the egg donor also is screened for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, Fragile-X, and a multitude of other genetic diseases. The results of both the genetic counselor’s report as well as the blood tests are available for review by the intended parents.
Psychological screening: Each egg donor is screened by a licensed mental health professional. This includes an interview as well as an objective standardized written test (usually the MMPI). A summary of these test results is available to the intended parents.
Infectious disease screening: Each egg donor is screened for HIV 1 and 2, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HTLV 1 and 2, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.
Drug screening: Each egg donor is screened for drugs of abuse including opioids (heroin, morphine, prescription narcotics), cocaine, amphetamines, and marijuana.
Yes, if you would like to purchase additional testing on your egg donor, we can help facilitate it as long as the donor agrees to the testing.
Below are various additional tests you can request:
The flexibility within our egg donor programs allows us to facilitate Nonidentified, Identified, and Open ID egg donations, depending on the preferences/agreement between the donor and intended parent(s).
When opting for a Nonidentified Donation, only non-identifying information will be shared for both parties in the contract. The intended parent(s) will typically only view the donor’s profile through our online egg donor database.
When opting for an Identified Donation, the intended parent(s) and egg donor negotiate on the terms, whether that be contacting the egg donor for medical reasons only, the chance for the offspring to meet the egg donor if the child chooses, or to send photos of the child as they grow.
When using frozen donor eggs, Open ID indicates that the donor is willing to have contact and release their identifying information with any donor-conceived individual of 18 years or older, if requested.
We are proud to offer flexibility within our programs, providing the egg donor and the intended parent(s) with the opportunity to address their desires. When browsing egg donor profiles on our database, the PDF profile includes the donor’s response on whether she is open to meeting the intended parent(s) and/or offspring in the future.
*Please note that although our team adheres to the highest standards to maintain donor and recipient confidentiality when facilitating the cycle, with advancements in commercial genetic testing, we counsel our egg donors and intended parents to understand that we cannot guarantee permanent anonymity in the future.
Learn more: Egg Donation Explained: Nonidentified, Identified, Open ID
Within our fresh egg donor cycles, we are happy to facilitate Zoom video meetings for you to get to know the egg donor (without sharing identifying information) before confirming the match, as long as the egg donor agrees to the meeting. To facilitate the meeting, we will collect a non-refundable $500, which will be put toward our cycle fees if you move forward with our agency. This option does not apply to our frozen donor egg cycles.
To ensure confidentiality and a positive experience for all parties, Donor Nexus allows Zoom calls to be facilitated between Intended Parent(s) and designated egg donor only. We do not allow translators, consultants, friends, or family members to participate. If the egg donor needs or requests a translator, one will be provided through the agency. Please contact Donor Nexus with any questions.
For our egg donor cycles, you can make arrangements to pay your cycle fee in two installment payments. Please see our ‘Financial Breakdown’ page for more information.
We partner with CapexMD to help intended parents cover treatment costs. CapexMD specializes in fertility loans, offering a variety of options. Visit their website to learn more and apply here.
January 2012 - January 2022
At Donor Nexus, the intended parent(s) receive all of the eggs retrieved in a fresh cycle. The average number of eggs retrieved in one cycle is 24, with 21 being mature, usable eggs.
If you would like to “hold” an egg donor for one week, you can do so by paying a $500 non-refundable hold fee. If you elect to move forward with the cycle, the $500 will be put towards your agency fee. This option does not apply to our frozen donor egg cycles.
The length of time is dependent upon a few factors, but on average, we find from match to egg retrieval is 3-5 months. When using a fresh egg donor, the donor must first complete her prescreening evaluations before beginning the cycle. This may take up to three months. Once the donor is medically cleared by your clinic, legal contracts must be completed before the egg donor can start stimulation medications. The stimulation phase lasts for about 12-14 days. We work closely with your IVF clinic to determine cycle dates as soon as legal clearance is issued. Visit the following page for a more comprehensive overview: Donor Egg Process
We have a 92% thaw rate and 83% blastocyst rate per six-egg cohort, with some patients obtaining multiple blastocysts.
Pregnancy Rate: 63.5% — Live Birth Rate: 48.5% (per cohort of 6 frozen eggs, 2012-2022)
At Donor Nexus, frozen donor eggs start at $19,500 USD for a cohort of six frozen donor eggs thawed and suitable for fertilization.
For each cohort of 6 eggs, the intended parent(s) are guaranteed 1 blastocyst embryo for either transfer or freeze by day 7. If this guarantee is not met, we will ship a second batch of frozen donor eggs* at no additional cost. Please note that recipients are only eligible for a replacement batch with a confirmation of a normal semen analysis* from the IVF clinic.
* If your selected egg donor does not have any frozen donor eggs available to be shipped, you may need to choose another egg donor.
How do I know if I am eligible for a replacement batch?
A replacement cohort will be deemed eligible to ship after the IVF Clinic has provided a Warming and Outcome Report, supporting documentation, and confirmation of a normal semen analysis. A normal semen analysis must show > 1 million total progressively motile sperm.
Open ID indicates that the donor is willing to have contact and release their identifying information with any donor-conceived individual of 18 years or older if requested.
Typically, we add a few new donors each month who will be completing egg banking cycles.
The donor eggs are technically not frozen – rather, they are vitrified. Egg vitrification is the most advanced technique of egg freezing available today. All frozen donor eggs in the Donor Nexus Egg Bank (DNEB) have been frozen via vitrification.
The process of vitrification involves reducing the temperature rapidly. This transforms the egg from a liquid state to a vitreous state instantaneously. The advantageous result of this modern technology is it limits the formation of ice crystals in the egg.
When eggs are frozen using older technology, the freezing occurs more slowly and heightens the risk of ice crystal formations. The ice crystals can subsequently destroy the structure of the cell. Vitrification allows eggs to be stored at -196 degrees Celsius (-320 Fahrenheit) with little or no effect on their function upon warming. At this temperature, all metabolic activity ceases and the eggs are essentially in ‘suspended animation’.
The egg retrieval and vitrification process is carried out by the experienced team of physicians at HRC Fertility in Southern California. The laboratory team at HRC has been working with the vitrification process since its introduction and is one of the leading fertility clinics in egg freezing and thawing. Their expertise with this technique allows Donor Nexus to confidently offer frozen donor eggs to our patients with superior results.
Additionally, our retrieval site exceeds the standards established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), College of American Pathologists (CAP), and California State Health Department Licensing Program.
The length of time is dependent upon a few factors. Once funds and your contract are complete, we arrange for the transportation of the frozen donor eggs to your designated fertility clinic. You will make further arrangements with your fertility clinic. The timeline is dependent on whether you have elected for a fresh or frozen embryo transfer and the amount of time needed to prepare the recipient mother's uterus or the gestational carrier’s uterus for the embryo transfer. This typically ranges between 4 and 6 weeks.
We partner with Cryoport, a leader in temperature-controlled shipping. The eggs are shipped in dry vapor shippers/tanks that maintain frozen conditions at -150°C for up to 10 days.
Once we receive payment in full, we will begin coordinating shipping to your clinic. Typically, this can take up to 4 weeks, but it depends on when our lab can release and when yours can accept the eggs.
New York state requires a specific tissue license which we do not have. However, we have shipped to New York in the past. Your clinic would need to apply for a waiver with the state.
You have up to 6 months from the time you secure the eggs to ship them to your designated IVF clinic.
What if my ideal egg donor has not been screened for a gene that the sperm provider is positive for?
If you would like to use frozen donor eggs from a donor who did not complete the same genetic testing as the sperm provider, we may be able to coordinate with the egg donor to schedule additional carrier screening, as long as she is willing. The intended parent(s) will be responsible for the cost of the testing plus additional fees. Inquire with our team for further details.
Once we receive your preliminary forms, completed contract, and first installment of funds, we will send your doctor and nurse coordinator an official match sheet. The donor is officially matched only once we have received these 3 items. This applies whether you are using a fresh egg donor, frozen donor eggs, or donor embryos.
Generally, pre-testing is valid for up to 12 months.
Each physician has his/her own age limits when treating patients. Generally, if a patient is over 45 years old, the physician will order additional tests to ensure the patient is healthy enough to carry. The additional testing includes a stress test, EKG, chest X-ray, mammogram, and pap smear. Most of these tests can be completed by your primary care physician.
If you had a vaginal delivery, you need to wait at least 9 months. If you had a c-section, you need to wait at least 12 months. If you are breastfeeding, you must stop breastfeeding and have 2 normal periods before you complete your pretesting.
Register now to receive free and instant access to our online donor database.
GET STARTED“We are enjoying our baby and we just love him so much!! Thank you again for this amazing gift- I’m so forever grateful. My pregnancy was so wonderful and I am looking forward to everything… It’s amazing what you do for people. My dreams have come true!”
– Intended Parent B.M.
We know that intended parents are faced with a multitude of tough decisions on their family-building journey, and we’re here to help. We have tons of resources available throughout our website and blog – feel free to click around and don’t hesitate to reach out to our team if you have any additional questions.
