Fresh vs. Frozen Egg Donation: Pros and Cons

Here at Everie, we prioritize our donors and their choices just as much as our intended parents. We believe in the importance of the connections we are building and the families we are helping to grow. There are no cons or disadvantages to making egg donations; there are simply different considerations to keep in mind when choosing the best donation type for you.

We equip our donors with the knowledge and power to choose the type of donation—fresh or frozen—that best suits you and your needs. From the moment you decide to become an egg donor to choosing the type of relationship you want with your intended parents, you control your own journey.

Both fresh and frozen donation types are rewarding ways to make a lasting impact on someone's life. The greatest difference between the two ultimately comes down to the order of events and the timeline. Let’s take a look at each type of egg donation and the various pros and "cons" you should consider!

Fresh Egg Donations

Typically, the egg donation process for fresh donors takes about 4 to 6 months and looks like this:

1. Application and acceptance

2. Provide information and build profile in donor database

3. Wait to hear from potential recipient parent matches

4. Mutually match with parents

5. Begin medical donation process

6. Egg Retrieval

7. Compensation

One of the main differences between choosing to make a fresh versus frozen egg donation is that you mutually match with the intended parents before you make the donation. In other words, you will choose the recipient of your donated eggs before you go through with the actual medical process of having your eggs retrieved. For some people, this is a pro, or an advantage, that might sway them to choose fresh egg donations.

Because you would not make your egg donation until after you have matched with your intended parents, the timeline for fresh donors is less finite than frozen donations and will vary. While donors wait to be matched, we advise you to regularly update your online profile with more medical information, pictures, and information about yourselves. Not knowing how long it will be from the time you are accepted as a donor to the time you make a donation is something to consider when deciding between fresh and frozen donations.

Frozen Egg Donation

For frozen egg donations, the process generally takes about 3 months. Here is a quick breakdown of the order of events:

1. Application and acceptance

2. Provide information and build profile in donor database

3. Begin medical donation process

4. Egg Retrieval

5. Compensation

6. Mutually match with parents

Unlike fresh donations, frozen ones have a definitive timeline in terms of going through the medical and egg retrieval processes because you do not have to wait to be matched. Additionally, you will receive your compensation before being matched. For many donors, the promise of competitive compensation is just as rewarding as the prospect of positively impacting someone’s life.

We’ve seen many of our donors achieve goals and dreams with the compensation they’ve received from making this monumental contribution. So, when it comes to deciding which type of donation is best for you and your needs, the concrete timeline might be a major factor to consider.

Which to Choose?

At Everie, we know the choice to become an egg donor is not one you have come to lightly. Even after you decide to donate your eggs, there are still other choices to be made about the process. We want you to always make the best decisions for you and your lifestyle. While we believe there are no cons or disadvantages to becoming an egg donor, we understand there are differences in the two types—fresh and frozen—that might better suit you than the other.

If you are interested in becoming an egg donor and making this noble contribution to positively impact other people’s lives, fill out our application today!