Embryo Adoption Questions Answered - Adoptive Parents

This week’s topic: Potential Adoptive Families

Q: Why would adopting parents choose embryo adoption instead of traditional adoption of a new born?

A:  The most obvious difference between an embryo adoption and a traditional adoption is the pregnancy experience. Mothers of adopted embryos are able to experience the joys (and burdens!) of pregnancy and labor. They also have the peace of mind of knowing their children received the appropriate parental care and were not exposed to alcohol or drugs during pregnancy.

Q: What are the basic requirements for a family hoping to adopt embryos?

A: The adopting mother must be able to carry a child to term. Her doctor will be asked to provide a letter stating that there are no contraindications to pregnancy. Additional eligibility requirements may be indicated by the placing family. The adopting family must also have completed an adoptive home study. This home study is the same study used to evaluate and educate adopting parents in traditional domestic adoptions.

Q: What other stipulations may affect a family’s ability to adopt embryos?

A: Each adoption agency has various eligibility requirements for adopting parents. These may include –
• An age limit for the adopting mother
• Eligibility of couples who do not have an infertility diagnosis
• Whether adoptive couples can use a Surrogate mother to carry their adopted Embryos
• Out-of-state/country embryo adoptions
• Eligibility of single women

Our Precious Gifts (Part 1)

(The following was written by an embryo adoptive parent and was published in a Nightlight Christian Adoptions newsletter.)


by Chad & Tanya

Edited by Embryo Adoption Awareness Center 

Father’s Day was extra special for us last year, as our second son, Tyler Matthew, was born. He was born on his actual due date, June 21, at 3:30 PM. In fact, when I looked back at our calendar from last year, I realized that our frozen embryo transfer the previous fall had been at 3:30 PM. As our doctor said, he wanted to be punctual! It was six years ago on June 21 that our close friends gave birth to their second child, and at the time, I wondered if we were ever going to have a child.

Four years prior to that, we learned that it is medically impossible for us to conceive a child. Before seeing our fertility doctor, we had both separately learned about the Snowflakes (Embryo Adoption) program. After receiving our diagnosis, we quickly realized that we were called to adopt embryos. But like many adoptions, our journey was filled with ups and downs. We were matched with our first genetic family at the end of 2002 and adopted five embryos. Our first transfer was unsuccessful and the next scheduled transfer did not actually happen because the remaining two embryos turned out to be just one embryo, which did not survive the thaw. We were heartbroken by the disappointments, but we were still confident of our calling.

New Book Helps Parents Tell the Kids about their Unique Adoption

As more and more families are growing through embryo donation and adoption, parents continue to scratch their heads and wonder, "What do we tell the kids???"

Joining "Our Wish for a Baby" and "Hope and Will Have a Baby" on the shelf of children's books focusing on this unique way children enter families is "Training Wheels: How Did I Get Here?"

This collaborative work by Chris Barrett, Digital Media Manager for The National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC), and a University of Tennessee psychology professor, Dr. Sally B. Hunter, warms the heart as it shares how children born through embryo donation and adoption are special and very much loved.

In a cheery rhyming pattern paired with colorful illustrations by Tyler Garrison the story of five-year-old Miles and his new bike unfolds. The bike, a birthday present from Miles' special friend, Mike, opens a door for Miles' parents to explain that Mike's mom and dad gave them a very special gift as well when they donated their remaining embryos and Miles was born as a result.

To learn more about Training Wheels visit Western Kentucky University, The NEDC, or purchase it on Amazon.

Embryo Donors and Adopters Share Their Heartwarming Story (Part 3)

(The following was written by an embryo adoptive parent and was published in a Nightlight Christian Adoptions newsletter.)

Edited by the Embryo Adoption Awareness Center

In Part 1, we heard from a couple donating their embryos. In Part 2, we learned the perspective of the adoptive family. Now, in Part 3 we hear from both sides about the forming of this unique family relationship:

Adopters: 

Before adopting Kaitlyn, we made the decision that we wanted her to know from the very beginning how she came to be part of our family. We are so grateful to Barbara and Ken for their unselfish love and everything they have done to bring this precious baby into this world! It is with the utmost love and respect for them that we share this with you.

It is our hope that we will provide Kaitlyn with a home where she has the freedom to discuss her questions and feelings about being adopted— honesty and openness are essential for this. We believe that there will come a day when she will want to know her genetic family. As Eric and I have had the privilege of getting to know and love eachother’s families, we would never want to deny our child this joy.

Study shows IVF more successful in spring

Spring has always been a season for new life, even for humans.

According to a 2010 Health 24 Magazine article, Brazilian researchers have announced the results of a study concluding that human fertilization rates are highest in the spring, nearly 5% higher than winter fertility rates and slightly above summer and fall rates.

“Epidemiologists have demonstrated a seasonal distribution in human natural conception and birth rates,” said study author Daniela Braga in the September 15 article. “We observed a 1.45-fold increase in the fertilization rate during the spring,”

Health 24 goes onto explain that the Brazilian study followed 1,932 women undergoing egg retrieval for in vitro fertilization. Of these women, 435 had egg retrieval in the winter, 444 in the spring, 469 in the summer and 584 during the autumn. Women who had their egg retrievals in the spring had by far the most successful rate of fertilization at 73.5%.