Four months after the nation's largest financing source for fertility treatments shut down its health care lending, The World Egg Bank (TWEB) announced a new loan program for women planning to have a child through donated eggs. Offered through Kansas-based Home National Bank, the program can finance up to half the cost of the purchase of frozen donated eggs or the total cost of an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure using fresh donor eggs. In order to qualify, participants must choose a donor from The World Egg Bank registry, which currently has more than 350 pre-screened donors available to recipients.

The program launches at a critical time for infertile couples facing both a deep recession and a crucial shortage of lenders. The aftermath of the 2008 banking crisis triggered financing giant Capital One to end its entire health care financing program in May. Capital One was the largest private financer of fertility treatments nationwide. Unlike the Capital One program, TWEB loans do not charge fees to the doctor's clinic.

"We expect this to be welcome news to intended mothers left stranded by the economy," says Diana Thomas, TWEB president and founder. "Many women simply do not have the luxury of waiting for improved economic times to have children, particularly those in their late 30s and 40s."

The financing program offers payment plans for fees up to $9,000 for the purchase of frozen donated eggs and up to $15,000 for IVF treatments using fresh eggs. Loan terms range from 18 to 48 months, with APR interest rates starting at 8 percent.