Intended Parents

Embryo Donation Success Rates


If you’ve faced challenges with creating embryos, experienced IVF failures, or find yourself with few viable embryo options, embryo donation may offer a promising alternative for growing your family.

If you’re looking for an embryo donation clinic or program where you can get donated embryos, connect with a professional now.

This option allows you to receive an embryo donation from other families who have chosen to donate their unused embryos, giving you the chance to try again with the benefit of using an already viable embryo.

In this guide, we’ll explore:

  • Embryo donation success rates

  • Factors that can affect donated embryos success rate

  • How adding surrogacy into your plan might improve your chances

    What Are the Embryo Donation Success Rates?

    According to Progyny, the embryo donation success rate typically aligns with that of traditional IVF cycles using high-quality embryos, averaging around 45-50% per cycle for women under 35.

    The success with donated embryos varies based on multiple factors, but studies suggest that it can be comparable to using fresh or frozen embryos in traditional IVF.

    For women over 40, success rates may vary depending on the embryo’s quality and the recipient’s health conditions rates can be encouraging, especially for women who have experienced difficulties creating embryos themselves.

    Embryo donation can provide renewed hope for individuals and couples who’ve had limited success with their own embryos.

    If you’re wondering whether embryo donation might be an option for you, it may be helpful to discuss success rates and potential outcomes directly with your fertility specialist.

    Factors Influencing Embryo Donation Success Rates
    • Age of the Embryo Donor

      Embryos created from younger egg donors generally result in higher success rates, as they’re often healthier and more viable.

    • Health of the Recipient

      The recipient’s overall reproductive health, including uterine health and hormonal balance, can affect implantation success.

    • Embryo Quality

      Not all embryos are created equal; higher-grade embryos usually lead to higher success rates.

    • Use of Frozen vs. Fresh Donor Embryos

      Although frozen embryos have high success rates due to improved freezing techniques, fresh embryos may still provide a slightly higher chance of success.

      If you’re over 40, you might find that embryo donation offers a greater chance of pregnancy than using your own embryos. This is particularly true if you’ve faced repeated IVF failures due to egg quality or limited embryo viability.

      Speak with your clinic about the age and health of potential embryo donors, as these factors can make a significant difference in your success with embryo donation.

      How Surrogacy Increases Embryo Donation Success Rates

      For some, adding surrogacy to an embryo donation plan may increase the chances of a successful outcome, potentially reducing the need for multiple attempts. This can be an ideal option if you’ve previously struggled with implantation or pregnancy health issues.

      By choosing surrogacy, you gain the added benefit of a carefully screened surrogate who can carry your donated embryo to term, improving success rates by minimizing risks related to the mother’s age or health. Surrogate requirements typically include reviewing medical records, meeting ASRM qualifications and more.

      Reputable surrogacy agencies help you match with a surrogate who’s physically, emotionally and mentally prepared for the journey. This includes comprehensive health assessments to ensure they’re capable of carrying a pregnancy to term.

      Because agencies require that you have embryos ready before you can officially be matched with a surrogate, embryo donation offers a faster timeline to embryo transfer since you’re not undergoing egg retrieval or other initial steps.

      If you’re ready to explore surrogacy with embryo donation, reach out to a professional now to find a surrogate who fits your unique family goals.

      Choosing Embryo Donation

      Whether you’re exploring embryo donation and surrogacy  as an alternative after IVF failures or due to other family-building challenges, this path can offer renewed hope and increased chances for success.

      If you’re considering using a surrogate to improve your chances, know that support is available to help you navigate this journey and connect with the right professionals.

      Embryo donation and surrogacy together can help you achieve the family of your dreams, even if you’ve faced setbacks along the way. Speaking with your fertility specialist is the best next step to determine whether this path aligns with your goals, budget and timeline.

      If you need help deciding if surrogacy is the right path to take, connect with a professional now. Having donor embryos means you’re one step closer to experiencing the joys of parenthood.

      Male and Female couple smiling with surrogate mother
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