FAQs
Have questions? You’re not alone.
We’ve compiled answers to the most common questions about our donor egg and embryo programs. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, we’re just a message or phone call away.
FAQs
Frozen Egg Donor
Explore our frozen egg donor program.
How does the Frozen Egg Donor Program work?
Select a cohort of frozen donor eggs and fertilize with partner or donor sperm. Frozen eggs are ready for immediate use, so there's no need to synchronize with a donor's cycle.
How does the Frozen Egg Donor Program work?
Select a cohort of frozen donor eggs and fertilize with partner or donor sperm. Frozen eggs are ready for immediate use, so there's no need to synchronize with a donor's cycle.
What is the embryo assurance program?
For an additional $2,500, you can add embryo assurance to your frozen egg cohort. If no blastocyst develops from your cohort, you'll have up to 180 days to select a replacement lot of frozen eggs from any available Shared Beginnings donor.
What is the embryo assurance program?
For an additional $2,500, you can add embryo assurance to your frozen egg cohort. If no blastocyst develops from your cohort, you'll have up to 180 days to select a replacement lot of frozen eggs from any available Shared Beginnings donor.
Is embryo genetic testing an option?
Yes—PGT‑A available for a separate fee; no euploid guarantee.
Is embryo genetic testing an option?
Yes—PGT‑A available for a separate fee; no euploid guarantee.
If my insurance has fertility coverage, how will this work?
Our partner clinic will bill fertilization fees to insurance if there is coverage. Patients are responsible for all donor fees.
If my insurance has fertility coverage, how will this work?
Our partner clinic will bill fertilization fees to insurance if there is coverage. Patients are responsible for all donor fees.
Can I use my partner's sperm?
Yes—semen analysis required.
Can I use my partner's sperm?
Yes—semen analysis required.
Can I use donor sperm from a known sperm donor?
Yes—with semen analysis.
Can I use donor sperm from a known sperm donor?
Yes—with semen analysis.
How are we different from egg banks & other programs?
Fresh donor eggs are fertilized immediately—no freeze/thaw—leading to higher quality embryos and greater pregnancy and birth rates.
How are we different from egg banks & other programs?
Fresh donor eggs are fertilized immediately—no freeze/thaw—leading to higher quality embryos and greater pregnancy and birth rates.
How many fresh eggs will I get?
It depends on the program. The One Embryo Program includes a cohort of 6 mature fresh donor eggs. The Three Embryo Program includes up to 18 mature fresh donor eggs. The Male Factor Pathway includes 10 mature fresh donor eggs. Our team can help you determine which option is the right fit.
How many fresh eggs will I get?
It depends on the program. The One Embryo Program includes a cohort of 6 mature fresh donor eggs. The Three Embryo Program includes up to 18 mature fresh donor eggs. The Male Factor Pathway includes 10 mature fresh donor eggs. Our team can help you determine which option is the right fit.
What if no embryo develops after fertilization?
Your program's assurance terms kick in. With the One Embryo Program, you can choose a replacement frozen egg cohort or receive a 60% refund of the program fee. With the Three Embryo Program, you'll receive a tiered refund based on how many embryos developed — up to 70% if none develop. The Male Factor Pathway also includes a 60% refund if the donor egg cycle does not result in 10 mature eggs and no blastocyst develops. Our team will walk you through your options.
What if no embryo develops after fertilization?
Your program's assurance terms kick in. With the One Embryo Program, you can choose a replacement frozen egg cohort or receive a 60% refund of the program fee. With the Three Embryo Program, you'll receive a tiered refund based on how many embryos developed — up to 70% if none develop. The Male Factor Pathway also includes a 60% refund if the donor egg cycle does not result in 10 mature eggs and no blastocyst develops. Our team will walk you through your options.
Is embryo genetic testing an option?
Yes—PGT‑A is available for an additional fee; the program itself does not guarantee a euploid blastocyst.
Is embryo genetic testing an option?
Yes—PGT‑A is available for an additional fee; the program itself does not guarantee a euploid blastocyst.
Can I participate if I live out of state or internationally?
Yes—you can ship embryos to your clinic or complete transfer at our local partner clinic.
Can I participate if I live out of state or internationally?
Yes—you can ship embryos to your clinic or complete transfer at our local partner clinic.
If my insurance has fertility coverage, how will this work?
Our partner clinic can bill fertilization fees to insurance if there is coverage. Patients are responsible for all donor fees.
If my insurance has fertility coverage, how will this work?
Our partner clinic can bill fertilization fees to insurance if there is coverage. Patients are responsible for all donor fees.
Can I use my partner's sperm?
Yes—semen analysis is required pre-cycle.
Can I use my partner's sperm?
Yes—semen analysis is required pre-cycle.
Can I use donor sperm from a known sperm donor?
Yes—with semen analysis and pre-cycle compliance.
Can I use donor sperm from a known sperm donor?
Yes—with semen analysis and pre-cycle compliance.
How does the Embryo Selection Program work?
Embryos within our Embryo Selection Program are high‑quality embryos that are already created with donor eggs and donor sperm and are available for selection. The majority of the embryos within this program are PGT‑A tested. Recipients will select the embryo profile that fits their family and can begin the process for embryo transfer as soon as medically cleared.
How does the Embryo Selection Program work?
Embryos within our Embryo Selection Program are high‑quality embryos that are already created with donor eggs and donor sperm and are available for selection. The majority of the embryos within this program are PGT‑A tested. Recipients will select the embryo profile that fits their family and can begin the process for embryo transfer as soon as medically cleared.
Can I use the same embryo profile for all my transfers?
Yes. Recipients have the option of purchasing multiple embryos from the same embryo profile if available.
Can I use the same embryo profile for all my transfers?
Yes. Recipients have the option of purchasing multiple embryos from the same embryo profile if available.
Is embryo sex selection/family balancing an option in the Embryo Program?
Sex selection/family balancing is an option in the Embryo Selection Program as those embryos have already been created and PGT‑A tested. Recipients will be able to see the gender of the embryos on the database. Sex selection/family balancing is not an option for the Embryo Creation Program.
Is embryo sex selection/family balancing an option in the Embryo Program?
Sex selection/family balancing is an option in the Embryo Selection Program as those embryos have already been created and PGT‑A tested. Recipients will be able to see the gender of the embryos on the database. Sex selection/family balancing is not an option for the Embryo Creation Program.
Can I participate in this program if I live out of state or internationally?
Yes. Recipients have the option of selecting embryos to ship to their local reproductive clinic. Recipients who desire to pursue the Embryo Creation Live Birth Program must have the embryo transfer performed at our partnering clinic.
Can I participate in this program if I live out of state or internationally?
Yes. Recipients have the option of selecting embryos to ship to their local reproductive clinic. Recipients who desire to pursue the Embryo Creation Live Birth Program must have the embryo transfer performed at our partnering clinic.
Are there any age restrictions for participating in the Embryo Program?
For shipping, Shared Beginnings defers to the receiving clinic’s age limits. If transferring at our partner clinic, one intended parent must be under 50.
Are there any age restrictions for participating in the Embryo Program?
For shipping, Shared Beginnings defers to the receiving clinic’s age limits. If transferring at our partner clinic, one intended parent must be under 50.
How does the Embryo Creation Program work?
With the Embryo Creation Program, recipients choose their egg donor from Shared Beginnings' egg donor database and their sperm donor from our partnering sperm bank to create an embryo profile that fits their family. The egg donor will undergo a donor stimulation cycle and the retrieved eggs will be fertilized fresh by the donor sperm. The fertilized eggs will be monitored for 5 to 6 days to see how many develop into embryos. The embryos will undergo preimplantation genetic testing (PGT‑A) and then will be vitrified (frozen) until the recipient is ready for transfer. Once the PGT‑A results return, the recipient will choose the two embryos they wish to transfer.
Shared Beginnings offers two Embryo Creation pathways — one with live birth assurance for qualified recipients, and one without. Our team can help you determine which is the right fit for your situation.
How does the Embryo Creation Program work?
With the Embryo Creation Program, recipients choose their egg donor from Shared Beginnings' egg donor database and their sperm donor from our partnering sperm bank to create an embryo profile that fits their family. The egg donor will undergo a donor stimulation cycle and the retrieved eggs will be fertilized fresh by the donor sperm. The fertilized eggs will be monitored for 5 to 6 days to see how many develop into embryos. The embryos will undergo preimplantation genetic testing (PGT‑A) and then will be vitrified (frozen) until the recipient is ready for transfer. Once the PGT‑A results return, the recipient will choose the two embryos they wish to transfer.
Shared Beginnings offers two Embryo Creation pathways — one with live birth assurance for qualified recipients, and one without. Our team can help you determine which is the right fit for your situation.
What if no embryos develop with fertilization in the Embryo Creation Program?
Your program's financial assurance terms apply. If no euploid embryos develop, you'll receive a 60% refund of the program fee. If one euploid embryo develops instead of two, you'll receive a $10,000 refund. For recipients enrolled in the Live Birth Assurance Program, additional terms apply — our team can walk you through what to expect.
What if no embryos develop with fertilization in the Embryo Creation Program?
Your program's financial assurance terms apply. If no euploid embryos develop, you'll receive a 60% refund of the program fee. If one euploid embryo develops instead of two, you'll receive a $10,000 refund. For recipients enrolled in the Live Birth Assurance Program, additional terms apply — our team can walk you through what to expect.
Can I use my partner's sperm in the Embryo Creation Program?
No. Both Embryo Programs use only donor sperm. If you wish to use partner sperm, Shared Beginnings offers this option with our Fresh Egg Donor Program.
Can I use my partner's sperm in the Embryo Creation Program?
No. Both Embryo Programs use only donor sperm. If you wish to use partner sperm, Shared Beginnings offers this option with our Fresh Egg Donor Program.
If I get pregnant, can I buy more embryos from the same profile for future use?
Yes. If embryos are remaining from the embryo profile, these can be purchased with our Embryo Selection Program.
If I get pregnant, can I buy more embryos from the same profile for future use?
Yes. If embryos are remaining from the embryo profile, these can be purchased with our Embryo Selection Program.
Can I participate in this program if I live out of state or internationally?
Recipients who desire to pursue the Embryo Creation Live Birth Program must have the embryo transfer performed at our partnering clinic. Recipients who live out of state may perform their monitoring at a local clinic.
Can I participate in this program if I live out of state or internationally?
Recipients who desire to pursue the Embryo Creation Live Birth Program must have the embryo transfer performed at our partnering clinic. Recipients who live out of state may perform their monitoring at a local clinic.
If my insurance includes fertility benefits, how will this work?
Shared Beginnings does not contract with insurance carriers. Patients may file claims for reimbursement themselves; Shared Beginnings will provide a receipt but not an itemized bill, and cannot guarantee reimbursement.
If my insurance includes fertility benefits, how will this work?
Shared Beginnings does not contract with insurance carriers. Patients may file claims for reimbursement themselves; Shared Beginnings will provide a receipt but not an itemized bill, and cannot guarantee reimbursement.
Can I use the results of the required tests I have completed?
Many previous test results can be used. Your records will be reviewed to determine what needs repeating.
Can I use the results of the required tests I have completed?
Many previous test results can be used. Your records will be reviewed to determine what needs repeating.
Can I transfer more than one embryo?
No. Shared Beginnings follows the ASRM guidelines recommending a single blastocyst transfer for donor-egg-created embryos.
Can I transfer more than one embryo?
No. Shared Beginnings follows the ASRM guidelines recommending a single blastocyst transfer for donor-egg-created embryos.
