Many people become parents using donor eggs. This is an option for women who have had difficulty having a family using their own eggs, women whose fertility has been impaired by cancer treatments or ovarian surgery, and same sex couples. The decision to pursue a donor egg cycle is complex, and unfortunately, choices are often made based on economic considerations. Because nearly half of patients having IVF with donor eggs may need to have a second cycle or more before a successful pregnancy is established, the price for these services can be daunting, causing many who need donor eggs to remain childless.
The Fertility Centers of New England has a proven program for donor egg recipients. Our EGG Assist Money-Back Guarantee refund plan is designed to help you manage the cost of IVF treatment using donor eggs, while maximizing your chances of success. The Plan includes up to three fresh Donor Egg IVF cycles and additional frozen-embryo cycles, should they be available, to achieve a successful pregnancy. The Plan is considered successful if a pregnancy progresses to a live birth.
A refund will not be given for an electively terminated pregnancy. A completed IVF Donor Egg cycle is defined by the retrieval of all available donor eggs followed by transfer of all embryos (fresh or frozen), if any.
It is important to understand that we cannot guarantee a successful outcome. However, we do guarantee that should you not achieve success as defined as a live birth, the refundable portion of the Plan fees (70%) will be returned so that alternatives such as adoption can be pursued. In other words, there is shared risk financially between the couple and FCNE.
Plan Costs: $27,500. Prices are subject to change, so please contact us for current fees.
In order to be eligible for the EGG Assist Money-Back Guarantee Plan, a couple must meet all the requirements of our regular fee-for-service Donor Egg Recipient IVF program and must not have had a previous unsuccessful donor egg recipient IVF cycle. Eligibility may be considered on a case-by-case basis for a previous failed donor egg recipient cycle if failure is thought to be due to potentially correctable conditions such as polyps, fibroids or hydrosalpinges. Additionally, the couple must not have insurance coverage for donor egg recipient/in vitro fertilization.
The following criteria must be met in order to participate EGG Assist Money-Back Guarantee Plan:
- Recipient must complete her cycles before her 52nd birthday.
- Recipient must have absence of hydrosalpinges (must be either removed or ligated prior to acceptance in the Plan)
- Recipient must have a normal uterus as determined by HSG (hysterosalpingogram) or Sonar infusion study (SonoHSG)
- Recipient must have a BMI < 28
- Donor must have BMI < 28
- Donor must be less than or equal to age 29
- Donor must have normal ovarian reserve
- No contraindications to IVF treatment or pregnancy
- Male partner must be < 55 years of age
- Sperm samples must be suitable for ICSI with at least 100,000 sperm per ejaculate
- Males are eligible with previous vasectomy following PESA/TES
- Must be non-smokers
- Must accept ICSI and inseminate all eggs
- Must accept cryopreservation, if applicable
- Must agree to accept embryo transfer recommendations of the Plan based on ASRM guidelines
- Endometrium of recipient must be at least 0.8 cm thickness, triple layer
- Egg donor must have at least 6 follicles between 14 and 18 mm on day of HCG trigger and estradiol > 1,000 pg/ml
The program must be completed within 12 months from the day of the first egg retrieval. As previously indicated each cycle corresponds to an ovarian stimulation of a donor and preparation of recipient’s endometrium followed by the aspiration of the donor's eggs, their fertilization in the embryology laboratory followed by the transfer of embryos. If pregnancy is not achieved, the couple will speak with the physician to discuss a "frozen" embryo transfer, if applicable, or a repeat fresh egg donation cycle after all frozen embryos, if any, have been transferred.
If the donor’s cycle is cancelled after the start of ovulation induction medicines, the recipient couple is responsible for all costs on a fee-for-service basis. Similarly if a cycle is cancelled due to any fault of the donor then the recipient is responsible for all costs on a fee-for-service basis up to the point of cancellation.
FCNE reserves the right to approve or deny entry into our guarantee programs on a case-by-case basis.
Services
- Cycle monitoring for recipient and donor if performed in one of our offices
- Egg retrieval
- Fertilization
- ICSI
- Assisted embryo hatching (AHA), if indicated
- Transfer including Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET), if embryos cryopreserved
- Cryopreservation if potentially viable embryos are deemed suitable for freezing and cryostorage in our facility for up to 6 months following egg retrieval
Exclusions
- Initial office visit and all subsequent consultations
- Egg Donor costs
- Prescreening tests
- Medications
- Cycle monitoring if performed in other than one of our offices
- Interim procedures, such as but not limited to hysteroscopy, endometrial biopsy, if indicated
- Hospitalization/complications
- Anesthesia (CRNA) fees
- Male services/facility costs should PESA/TESA be indicated
- Embryo storage beyond 6 months after egg retrieval
- Pregnancy testing and early pregnancy monitoring
- Sperm freezing for cycle, if indicated
- PGD/PGS, if indicated.
Most insurance companies cover the costs of screening and for services unrelated to infertility treatment.
The EGG Assist Money-Back Guarantee Plan consists of a refundable and non-refundable portion should success not be attained as defined as a live birth. The refundable portion of the Plan fee will be held in the participant's account with FCNE. Upon confirmation of pregnancy proceeding to a live birth, FCNE will apply the entire refundable portion. If after up to three completed fresh IVF donor cycles no pregnancy has proceeded to a live birth and all available embryos have been transferred, the refundable portion will be returned to the participant. A refund will not be given for an electively terminated pregnancy. After each completed IVF donor cycle, the participant and physician meet and determine together the appropriateness of proceeding with a repeat attempt. Both FCNE and the recipient retain the right to terminate the Plan at any time for any reason following the transfer of all available embryos.
FCNE reserves the right to disqualify a recipient or her donor based on previous poor response. The plan should take no longer than 9 months and must be completed within 12 months following the first egg retrieval and prior to the recipient's 52nd birthday and the male's 55th birthday. Each IVF donor egg cycle consists of ovarian stimulation of the donor and synchronization with the recipient's endometrium followed by donor egg aspiration, their fertilization and transfer of embryos, if any to the recipient. If pregnancy is not achieved, the couple will meet with the physician to discuss ‘frozen’ embryo transfer, if applicable or a repeat fresh IVF cycle with donor egg after all frozen embryos, if any have been transferred unless < 2 frozen embryos remain. Additional testing may be required which are not included in the Plan fees if results of cycle suggest other factors may be impairing pregnancy success.
The Plan does not cover the cost of procedures not involving the IVF procedure itself or contracted services. Such additional costs may include, but are not limited to hospital and physician fees associated radiology expenses, laboratories, surgery and other complications resulting from treatment of pregnancy. Also excluded are the costs of anesthesia (CRNA) services for Intravenous Conscious Sedation (IVCS).
The cost to participate in the EGG Assist Money-Back Guarantee Plan is $27,500. It consists of a non-refundable (30%) and a refundable (70%) portion. If, after up to 3 completed fresh egg donation cycles and all available frozen embryos have been transferred a successful pregnancy as defined as live birth has not resulted then the refundable portion, $19,250 will be returned to the couple. If success is achieved as defined above, then FCNE will keep the entire fee. A refund will not be given for an electively terminated pregnancy.
FCNE reserves the right to terminate patient’s participation after each completed cycle. Similarly, the couple has the right to terminate after each completed cycle after all fresh and frozen embryos have been transferred. If participation is cancelled then the costs to the recipient would be on a fee-for-services basis up to the point of cancellation.
If you are interested in participating in this program and meet entry criteria, notify our office and request a financial consultation at no charge before your cycle starts to be eligible.
Most recipients who do not achieve a successful pregnancy following their first cycle will be recommended to proceed with a repeat attempt. The main reason not to do so would include poor quality endometrium, psychological contraindications or poor patient compliance.
FCNE retains the right to terminate a patient's participation after each completed cycle, if no pregnancy occurs and FCNE elects to terminate EGG Assist Money-Back Guarantee Plan, FCNE will refund the sum paid minus the fee-for-service payment for services rendered up until the point of termination plus a $2,500 administration fee. If the recipient chooses to terminate participation without completing all cycles, the patient will be charged the fee-for-service price for all services performed up until the time of termination plus a $2,500 administration fee.
