Cofertility's Egg-Sharing Model Raises Questions About Donor Compensation

September 9, 2026 at 03:00 PM1 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Cofertility, a Los Angeles-based startup founded in 2022, offers free egg freezing to women who donate half of their retrieved eggs to intended parents. The company's model, called egg sharing, has attracted thousands of applicants, including conservatory-trained violist Sue Tu. The practice raises questions about donor compensation and the commercialization of fertility care.

Key Facts

Cofertility launched in 2022 and is based in Los Angeles.
The company's model requires clients to donate half of retrieved eggs to intended parents in exchange for free egg freezing.
The typical cost of egg freezing in New York City is about $18,000.
Sue Tu, a 24-year-old violist from Chongqing, China, passed Cofertility's prequalification quiz.

The Egg-Sharing Model

Cofertility's clients must donate half of the eggs retrieved to intended parents who need an egg donor to have a baby. The company calls this model egg sharing, and it had not been commercialized widely in the US before Cofertility. The company's CEO, Lauren Makler, a former Uber employee, promotes the message that the best time to freeze eggs is when women can least afford it.

Applicant Experience

Sue Tu, a conservatory-trained viola player from Chongqing, China, passed Cofertility's two-minute prequalification quiz after her 24th birthday. During a video call, a Cofertility employee asked to record Sue playing the piano, mistaking her instrument for the viola. Sue declined the request and described the interaction as 'weird,' a combination of overeager and saccharine.