Egg Donation vs. Surrogacy: Understanding the Differences

Key Takeaways

• Egg donation and surrogacy are both assisted reproductive options, but they differ in purpose and process.
• Egg donors provide eggs used for conception, while surrogates carry pregnancies for others.
• Both processes involve detailed medical, legal, and financial considerations.
• Choosing between egg donation and surrogacy depends on individual health, family goals, and medical recommendations.

Families today are created in many ways: through natural conception, assisted reproductive treatments, adoption, and surrogacy. Family structures have also evolved, including single-parent families and same-sex couples who build their families through third-party reproduction.

Egg donation and surrogacy both play vital roles in that evolution. While they may sound similar, these two processes serve different purposes. Successful pregnancies may be achieved with the help of an egg donor, a surrogate, or both. Here’s how they compare.

What Is Egg Donation?

Egg donation is when someone donates their eggs so another individual or couple can use them to conceive. The donor may or may not know the recipients. After the eggs are retrieved and fertilized, the resulting embryos are transferred into the uterus of either the intended parent or a gestational carrier.

The donor’s role ends after her eggs are retrieved. She does not carry the pregnancy or have parental rights or responsibilities related to any children born from her donation.

What Is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is when someone carries and delivers a baby for someone else. The person carrying the pregnancy is known as a surrogate or gestational carrier. Gestational carriers  do not carry pregnancies conceived from their own eggs; rather, an embryo is first created using eggs and sperm from either the intended parents or donors.

Legal and Financial Differences

Legal Considerations

Both egg donation and surrogacy require clear legal agreements to protect everyone involved.

For egg donation, the donor’s role ends after her eggs are retrieved. She typically has no parental rights or contact with the intended parents or resulting child, unless otherwise agreed upon.

In surrogacy, the gestational carrier’s role extends through pregnancy and delivery. After birth, legal documents ensure that parental rights are transferred to the intended parents.

These agreements outline rights, responsibilities, and confidentiality for all parties, ensuring the process is transparent and ethical from start to finish.

Financial Considerations

Both processes involve significant medical and legal costs, though the specific expenses differ.

Egg donation costs generally include:

• Medical screening and testing
• Hormonal medications and monitoring
• Egg retrieval procedure and recovery care
• Compensation related to the time and medical process of the egg donor IVF cycle
• Legal agreements and related services

Surrogacy costs may include:

• Medical screening and fertility treatments
• Prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum support
• Legal counsel and documentation
• Surrogate compensation and related expenses

Which Option Is Right for You?

Every family-building experience is unique. The right choice depends on your health, circumstances, and goals. A fertility specialist can help you understand which option best fits your needs.

At Los Angeles Reproductive Center, our team offers medical expertise and compassionate guidance for every step of the process. Contact us to learn more about egg donation, surrogacy, and which path may be right for you.

FAQs

What is the difference between egg donation and surrogacy?

Egg donation provides eggs for conception, while surrogacy involves someone carrying a pregnancy for another person or couple.

Can I be both an egg donor and a surrogate?

Yes. However, each process has distinct medical and psychological requirements.

Which option is better for intended parents?

That depends on individual factors. Some need an egg donor due to genetic concerns or not having usable eggs of their own, while others need a surrogate because they cannot carry a pregnancy. Some patients, including many same-sex male couples, choose to build their families through both egg donation and surrogacy.

Clinically reviewed by Alyssa Schoenemann, RN