Couples desperate to have children spend thousands searching for an egg donor they like.
Three egg-donor agencies in Illinois are teaming up to protect hopeful parents from egg donors who back out of the deal.
The agencies report that 10 percent of egg donors don't go through with it, for a variety of reasons. When that happens, parents who want to continue the process are on the hook for the same donor fees they already paid.
The Chicago-area agencies are the first in the nation to offer The Shared Donor program. Hopeful parents pay a one-time fee and they have access to all three egg donor lists if their donor doesn't fulfill her promise.
