For National Adoption Month I wanted to write this post about a less well known option. Embryo donation/adoption. I'd not heard of this until approx. 2006, but Snowflakes has been facilitating embryo adoption since 1997.
So what is embryo adoption?
When couples decide to do IVF treatments they reach a point when they are done building their family. Many of these couples have embryos remaining in frozen storage facilities. It's estimated more than 500,000 embryos are in storage.
They have a few choices of what to do:
- Donate the embryos to science
- Thaw the embryos and discard
- Donate the embryos to another infertile couple or person
Sometimes couples donate their remaining embryos anonymously through their clinic. Many people are on waiting lists for these embryos. Other couples choose an experience similar to adoption and are required to have a homestudy to be matched with embryos. When a couple decides to donate embryos without remaining anonymous it becomes a lot like domestic adoption.
They can choose the family.
They can decide on openness.
They can receive counseling.
Counselors/social workers assist with these decisions like they did with our open adoption with our son's birth family.
An obvious difference is the birth family is also the adoptive family. The donating family is the genetic family. The risk is having no pregnancy result from the FET.
Snowflakes began in 1997.
Embryos Alive 2003.
Embryo Adoption Services 2008.
There is also this website for finding a match on your own without the help of an agency.
Here are some related blogs:
Jen's Seven From Heaven - Adoptive mom thru Russia and twin girls from embryo donation
Angel Wings Baby - Baby boy from embryo donation
Placing Parents - A donating family perspective
Twinkle Baby - In the process of planning FET
Womb for One More - Adoptive mom thru fostercare and a baby girl from embryo donation matched on miracles waiting
Wendy Oviatt's Video - An embryo adoption advocate. Twin boys
I'm sure there are many more...according to http://www.embryoadoption.org/ there have already been more than 1500 children born thru embryo donation and adoption.
Have you heard of embryo donation/adoption?
Do you know any other websites?
Do you know any other websites?
My brother and his wife are currently pregnant with twin boys after doing embryo adoption. I think it is an amazing opportunity for them. I had never heard of it until my SIL told me about it. Thank you for posting about this
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome Brenley! How did they match up with the donating family?
ReplyDeleteI think they were able to look at profiles of couples and choose themselves. But I am not totally sure about that.
ReplyDeleteBless you for the link, Jessica! Ellie from Twinkle Babies here. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has any questions about how we went about our embryo donation/adoption match I'd be happy to answer them.