WIRED Investigative Context: Cofertility offers a novel "split-freeze" model where women under 35 freeze their eggs for free ($0 out-of-pocket for retrieval, cycle medications, and 10-year storage) in return for donating exactly 50% of retrieved mature eggs to intended parents. This workbench allows patients and donors to simulate egg yield scenarios, contrast costs against traditional self-pay freezing ($15k–$20k+), and evaluate legal & emotional considerations.
Scenario Parameters
Calibrate your donor cohort parameters to simulate retrieval yields and financial deltas.
Presets:
30
Cofertility Split qualification typically requires age 21–34. Older ages decrease average viable mature yield.
16
Even numbered steps represent realistic stimulation harvest counts.
$4,500
Covered by intended parents in Split-freeze; paid directly in traditional freezing.
5 yrs
Cofertility subsidizes up to 10 years of cryo-storage for retained eggs.
$600 / yr
Standard cryo-bank facility fee per annum.
Cohort Split & Equity Allocation
Exact 50/50 partition between eggs kept for your future family and eggs donated.
16
Total Harvest
Retained For You (50%)
8
Stored free for up to 10 years for your own future IVF cycles.
Donated to Family (50%)
8
Transferred to matched intended parents to build their family.
Cofertility Split-Freeze
Split Agreement
$0
Clinical Retrieval & Monitoring
$0 (Covered)
Hormone Medications
$0 (Covered)
Cryo-Storage (5 yrs)
$0 (Included)
Legal & Psychological Screening
$0 (Covered)
Traditional Self-Pay
Keep 100% Eggs
$18,500
Clinical Cycle & Anesthesia
$11,000
Medications (Gonal-F, Cetrotide, etc.)
$4,500
Cumulative Storage (5 yrs)
$3,000
Eggs Retained for Personal Use
16 eggs
⚖️ Legal Custody & Anonymity
Donors legally relinquish all parental rights and custody prior to retrieval. In modern practice, direct-to-consumer DNA databases (23andMe, Ancestry) make lifelong anonymity impossible; donor-conceived offspring may connect in adulthood.
🧬 Biological Offspring Count
Donated eggs will likely produce genetic half-siblings raised in another household. Intended parents receive full legal parentage from day one.
📈 Future Personal Family Size
Having 8 retained eggs vs 16 matters. Age 30 eggs typically require 10–12 mature oocytes per desired live birth. A 50% split may necessitate an additional cycle later if multiple children are desired.
🏥 Medical Risk vs Compensation
Unlike traditional egg donation which pays cash honorariums ($8k–$14k), Cofertility compensates exclusively with services (free freezing & storage), avoiding direct cash-for-gametes optics.
| Item Description | Split-Freeze Program | Traditional Clinic | Delta / Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor consultations, ultrasounds, retrieval surgery | $0 | $11,000 | +$11,000 |
| Stimulation injectable medications | $0 | $4,500 | +$4,500 |
| Cryo-preservation storage fee | $0 | $3,000 | +$3,000 |
| Total Out-of-Pocket Expense | $0 | $18,500 | +$18,500 |
WIRED Reporting Highlights
WIRED's investigation highlights the unique tension in modern reproductive tech startups: while traditional egg donors are paid flat compensation, the split-freeze model turns egg donation into an in-kind barter economy. For women facing steep $15,000+ bills to preserve their own fertility, the exchange removes upfront financial barriers. However, bioethicists cited in the article emphasize the gravity of relinquishing half of one's oocytes without knowing future life outcomes or reproductive needs.
Authoritative Computed Proof State
Canonical Parity
Cofertility Out Of Pocket
$0
Traditional Total Cost
$18,500
Net Estimated Savings
$18,500
Retained Eggs Count
8
Donated Eggs Count
8
Balanced equity split model configured for exploratory analysis
Research Sources & Clinical Context:
• WIRED Feature: "There’s a Hot New Egg-Freezing Startup"
• Clinical fee averages compiled from national fertility clinics (retrievals $11k baseline, medications $3k–$6k, annual storage $600).
• Legal guidelines sourced from reproductive law consensus regarding donor non-custody agreements and identity disclosure trends.
• WIRED Feature: "There’s a Hot New Egg-Freezing Startup"
• Clinical fee averages compiled from national fertility clinics (retrievals $11k baseline, medications $3k–$6k, annual storage $600).
• Legal guidelines sourced from reproductive law consensus regarding donor non-custody agreements and identity disclosure trends.
Research snapshot verified 2026. Data presented for educational simulation and scenario planning only; consult a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and qualified attorney.