Shared IVF Cycles

Shared in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles are an option to investigate if you’re seeking a way to pay for IVF treatment. In a shared IVF cycle, a woman goes through IVF with the intention of donating half of her retrieved eggs to a recipient who cannot use her own eggs, in exchange for reduced IVF costs.

In a shared IVF cycle, two women prepare for IVF at the same time, but only one of them is producing eggs. Some of the eggs retrieved from the “donor” will be shared with the “recipient.” After egg retrieval, IVF takes place (with donor sperm or with sperm from each of the women’s respective partners) and then the resulting embryos are transferred.

The shared IVF cycle costs will be determined by your fertility clinic, but as much as 50 percent of the fertility treatment costs may be paid by the recipient.

Not all women are candidates for a shared IVF cycle. And one drawback may be that you might not have excess embryos to freeze in the event your IVF cycle is not successful.