All things EMBRYO

EMBRYO DONATION/ADOPTION

In recent years technology has advanced tremendously. With this technology comes the question of what to do with the unused embryos. Many couples struggle with what to do with the potential lives. Do they donate them to research? Discard them? Keep them frozen indefinitely? Or allow another infertile couple to use them? Below are some resources for those looking to donate as well as those wanting to receive donated embryos.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADOPTION AND DONATION?

Embryo donation and embryo adoption programs specifically differentiate themselves by the label of either donation, which includes both anonymous and known donations, or adoption.

Anonymous donation programs are generally managed by fertility clinics, which receive donated embryos to be given anonymously to whomever the clinic chooses. Known Donation programs give the donating family the option of choosing the receiving family and they can mutually determine the level of future interaction between families. Miracles Waiting, Inc. is an organization that uses profile listings on its website to allow donating and receiving families to find one another, establishing a context for known donations. Adoption programs regard embryo donation as equivalent to a traditional adoption proceeding and offer corresponding assistance and services.

However, the clients of both donation and adoption programs use the terms in a different and more generic way. Typically, placing or donating parents tend to use the term 'donation', while receiving or adopting couples tend to use the term 'adoption'. The basis for this is largely psychological.

Donation is used in the sense of 'giving a gift' and offers an emotional separation from the embryos that the phrase 'placing for adoption' does not. Yet for the family wanting to parent the children born from such a gift, the term 'adoption' makes more emotional sense. It is the term that both legally and socially explains the transfer of parental rights associated with traditional adoption. Adoption also helps to describe and explain to their child the way in which they became a family, since children are 'adopted' rather than 'donated'.

Frequently the terms are used interchangeably like the words lawyer and attorney.**

**Embryoadoption.org

Donating Embryos

When choosing to donate embryos you are choosing to give your embryos a chance at life. Once you have made the decision to allow another couple to use them you will need to decide if you want a known donation or an unknown donation. Many clinics accept embryos but many of them require it to be done anonymously. You can ask your clinic if they participate in any donor embryo programs. If you want to do a known donation then you may need to look elsewhere.

There are varying degrees of a known donation. Some couples choose to just receive basic information of the recipient couple. Others may want to meet the couple and build a relationship. And then others may want something between the two. The following clinics and programs accept embryos and will be able to provide additional information on their particular program.

   Adopting/Receiving Embryos

     There are several reasons why a couple would choose to use donated embryos: poor egg quality or low/no sperm and do not want a child that is only biologically related to one parent; genetic issues that you do not want to pass along to a biological child; unable to afford the high cost of IVF. Whatever your reason, embryo adoption is a wonderful choice.

Below you will find a list of clinics, facilitators, and resources to help match you with waiting embryos or answer your questions.

Clinics and Facilitators for Embryo Donation and Adoption:

Miracles Waiting: not a clinic, but a website designed for donor and recipient couples to meet. There is no fee for the donor family; there is a $100 fee for recipients to join.

Embryos Alive: not a clinic; facilitates the match between families; dossier or home study required for recipient/adoptive families

Adoption from the Heart: not a clinic; facilitates the match between families, home study required for recipient/adoptive families.

NEDC: clinic; FET is done there; home study required for recipient/adoptive families.

Nightlight Christian Adoptions (Snowflakes): embryos shipped to your clinic; home study required for adoptive families.

Cooper Center: clinic; FET done there; anonymous only; no home study required.

JCRM

Reprotech

Bethany Christian Services Embryo Adoption

Bethany Christian Services Embryo Donation

TO FIND A CLINIC FOR EMBRYO DONATION:

To find a clinic in your area that does transfers using Donor Embryos, click here: SART

Enter Your zip code. Choose a clinic and choose to view their ART Data Report. Scroll down to the bottom of the report and it will state whether the clinic allows the use of donor embryos. Of these clinics some have their own donor embryo program, others you have to provide the embryos from another clinic. Contact each clinic for details on which options they offer.

Additional Information:

Embryo Adoption Awareness Center

CEDA Education

Focus on the Family: Seeing Them for What They Are

EMBRYO ADOPTION: Saving lives and building families

Preconception: Adoption not Donation

Snowflake Kids: What Should We Do With Frozen Embryos?

Embryo Adoption/Donation Success Stories

Donor Conception Network

Facts About Embryos

BOOKS

Embryo Adoption reading recommendations for couples and children can be found in out in our Infertility Book Store.

If you have a clinic, facilitator, website or book recommendation that you would to see here, please let us know! A link to the site is required.

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