Using egg banks for pregnancy | Progyny

Updated by the Progyny Editorial Team. Reviewed by the Progyny Clinical Team - December 2025.

An egg bank is a specialized facility where human eggs are frozen and stored for future use. People who need donor eggs can purchase frozen eggs to create embryos using in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Donor eggs: an overview

Eggs are donated by healthy, fertile donors who have been carefully screened following FDA and state regulations. Eggs from older people have a lower chance of successful pregnancy, so most egg donors are in their 20's.

Eggs are preserved using a rapid freezing technique and stored in cryogenic tanks filled with liquid nitrogen at -196°C. This ultra-cold environment keeps the eggs viable until they're ready to be used.

When eggs are needed for fertility treatments, they are carefully thawed and fertilized with sperm. The resulting embryos are transferred to the uterus of the person carrying the pregnancy - either the intended parent or a gestational carrier.

Who uses egg banks?

• People with infertility: People with low ovarian reserve or poor egg quality can use donor eggs to become pregnant.
• People with age-related concerns: Egg health goes down with age, so using eggs from younger donors can increase the chance of success.
• LGBTQ+ individuals and single parents by choice: Donor eggs allow LGBTQ+ people and couples, as well as single intended parents by choice, to pursue biological parenthood.

How do egg banks work?

Intended parents start their journey by selecting a donor from the egg bank's database. You can review detailed donor profiles, which typically include:

• Medical history
• Genetic screening results
• Physical characteristics
• Educational background
• Personal interests

Intended parents may also be advised to go through medical evaluation and psychological counseling to explore emotional, ethical, and relationship considerations. Your fertility specialist can guide you through your decision.

Steps for using a donor egg in IVF:

1. The frozen eggs are carefully thawed, using special techniques to preserve their viability.
2. The eggs are fertilized with sperm from the intended parent or a sperm donor.
3. The resulting embryos are observed for several days to be sure they're developing properly.
4. The best quality embryo is transferred to the uterus of the person carrying the pregnancy, or frozen for future use. Freezing embryos allows for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), if desired.

Your fertility clinic will coordinate with your chosen egg bank for counseling, logistics, medical procedures, and monitoring.

Benefits of using frozen donor eggs

Frozen eggs have several benefits:

• Frozen eggs can be used right away, while fresh eggs require the donor to match their cycle and egg retrieval with the recipient's treatment cycle.
• Access to a broad and diverse pool of donors.
• Freezing allows time to test the eggs, improving safety and success rates.
• Frozen eggs can be shipped, so intended parents are not limited by availability where they live.

Legal and ethical considerations

Legal contracts are used to protect the rights and responsibilities of everyone involved in egg donation: the donor, intended parents, and the resulting child.

Legal contracts ensure that:

• Donors give up all parental rights
• Donors grant the intended parent(s) full legal custody of the donated eggs and any resulting embryos and children

They also outline the terms of donation, such as donor compensation, details and timing of medical procedures, and confidentiality.

Ethical considerations

In the past, many donations have been anonymous, but open donations in which donors and recipients can choose to share information are increasingly common. This allows for transparency and sharing genetic knowledge.

It's important to consider whether donor-conceived children will be able to access information about their genetics. Think about how it might affect the child's sense of identity, emotions, and relationships with both their biological and social parents.

Counseling can help you think through these questions.

Getting started with an egg bank

Egg banks offer a meaningful path to parenthood. Ask your fertility clinic and egg bank any questions you have.

Your Progyny Care Advocate can also provide support by helping you:

• Find a fertility specialist
• Connect with counseling and support resources
• Navigate the process with confidence

Disclaimer: The information provided by Progyny is for educational purposes only and is not medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical guidance and a lawyer for legal guidance.