Has anyone here done/heard about Embryo Adoption?

ked1068 · June 2009

I'm sorry if this is the wrong board for this, but I don't know where to ask about it......

At my WTF appointment with my doctor a week ago, my doctor suggested we look into adopting embryo's. I've heard about it but know of no-one who has done one. From what I can tell, the steps are similar to a domestic/international adoption, with the only real difference being that I would experience the pregnancy portion.

Thanks to anyone who might have information.

517butterfly · June 2009

We looked into it through Bethany Chrisitan Services but decided against it b/c of my endo but it seemed like a straight-forward process and you're right it does seem to follow the same type of paperwork/homestudy process as a domestic adoption. You may want to check out Bethany's website (it has great information!). Hopefully you can get some other responses here as well.

crystalpopcorn · June 2009

Yes, there is an agency in my area who does it. They spoke a little about it during the DA info session we attended. Your understanding is the same as what the agency said. Essentially, you still have a home study and proceed with an adoption like you would if you were adopting a "born child" (this is their term).

I don't believe they went into fee details. My guess is that the adoption fee itself would be less, because you don't have birthmother expenses. I don't know if the implantation / IVF fee is included or not. I just pulled out the agency's info packet, and there is a page on embryo adoption. They reference www.embryoadoption.org and www.nightlight.org for more information.

HTH and GL!

ked1068 · June 2009

I agree completely with what you are saying. My doctor basically gave us three options: Donor Egg, Embryo Donation, and Adoption. I know so little about embryo donation, and of the three above, it is quickly becoming our third choice. I'm not 100% sold on the idea of being pregnant, and who is to say that this time won't turn out like the last four years of me trying to get pregnant?

I too thought about the embryo's which were frozen...you have no way of knowing if they were frozen because they had so many good ones or if they froze "bad" embryo's. So I'm really glad someone else thought that way too.

Thanks for the info!

ked1068 · June 2009

crystalpopcorn:

They reference www.embryoadoption.org and www.nightlight.org for more information.

These are the two sites my nurse suggested I look at too. Thanks!

Dr.Loretta · June 2009

Our agency does it. From what I saw in their paperwork, you undergo a home study just like for adopting a child. I don't know if they work with certain clinics or how that part works though.

MayDayGirl · June 2009

Hey sweety. I don't know much but I would love to see you pg!

From my very limited research you don't have to be picked like domestic adoption, but then it can take longer to wait for the right match through the clinic. Or you can do a homestudy of sorts and be picked, which I think can go faster.

HitchedinIN · June 2009

I have no experience with it, but we discussed it with our RE. He made it sound like he does do it in his clinic. He said he typically will only use embryos from couples who used donor eggs. Without going into a lot of detail about the process with him, it sounds like his office provides the donated embryos. I have seen the websites for the Christian group and Snowflake Babies (it may have been the same site), where it sounds much more involved.

We actually meeting with a lawyer soon and will be asking her some of the legal aspects involved in donor embryos. Though, it's unlikely that we will go that route. Some of the issues that Fred brought up about the quality of the embryos are big concerns. As well as my concerns about how to explain embryo adoption to a child some day.

Temp206787500007404 · June 2009

Some follow a similar process to a regular adoption and some are more of a donation to a clinic where you just pay for the procedure and some you're just paying for the embryo without any kind of homestudy. It's not for everyone, but it's not really adoption either. You'll probably find more information about it on the TTTC board. There are a couple of girls who've gone various routes.

pinkwedding05 · June 2009

I'm the nestie I think Fred was talking about

The pp are correct in describing the differences between embryo adoption and donation. The cost is less than DA, but I feel like it is still way too expensive given the process. Bethany, for instance, charges (I believe) about $10,000 to match you with embryos. It covers 3 attempts, but does not include medical costs.

If your clinic does not provide embryo donation there are several clinics in the US that do. Cooper in New Jersery and Chicago IVF are the only that I can remember. Cooper has about a 12 month wait. Success rates are 30% or so.

We were not willing to wait 12 mos for such a low success rate so we started looking at the Czech Republic. The ivfconnections.com connections board has a board jus for people going to Czech. Most go there for fresh egg donation. If for some reason the recipient can't travel, they will go ahead with the ER. Then they will use donor sperm to fertilize them. At that point the original couple usually doesn't want them, so they go into a bank. We sent a picture of us with a small questionaire and we were matched with a set of 4 embies. They do take looks into consideration, but their biggest concern is to match your blood type. If you do DE in the US you basically have to take what you can get. That might include someone with a less than ideal med history. Unfortunately, the medical history you get about the donors in Czech is minimal (about 2 sentences). We just trusted that they had been screened well...talk about a leap of faith. What you do know about the embies is if a pregnancy has occurred from that batch. It was a HUGE relief to know that a pregnancy had already occurred from our embies.

Our second IVF failed in the middle of May and we were on a plane June 30th (OMG that was one year ago tomorrow!) We went to Reprofit in Brno. We made a 10 day vacation out of it. The total was about $12,000. The majority of our costs were because we went in the summer and we went to Prague and Vienna. We spent about 1 hr in the clinic and 4 days in Brno. We probably could have done it for less than $5,000, especially now with the lower air fare rates.

It was our last attempt at a pregnancy before going for DA. We knew our chances were low, but it was the closure we needed to go forward. Biology never really mattered to us, but I did have a strong desire to carry. We were at total peace with the outcome either way so it was just a blessing to get to experience pregnancy.

Nap time is almost over so I'm heading out. Page me if you have anymore questions.

Magoy · June 2009

Ditto this. I had never heard of embryo adoption before seeing it on Bethany's website. It's not something I read into seeing as though I don't have a uterus and all... But, you might be interested in checking it out.

FWIW, we did a preliminary application w/ Bethany and a very nice lady called back w/in a couple days to talk to us. So far I'm happy w/ everything I've rec'd from them.

Good luck to you, hope you find what you are looking for!!!

KarlsSweetie05 · June 2009

Besides Bethany, here are some more resources for research on the topic:

www.adoptanembryo.net

https://miracleswaiting.org

https://embryodonation.org

https://embryosalive.com

www.nightlight.org

As pp have mentioned, there are 2 basic routes to embryo adoption: 1) embryo donation which typically does not require a home study and is coordinated by a clinic and 2) embryo adoption which is more like domestic adoption and uses a home study through an agency.

We received an embryo donation last year from a clinic, but the FET didn't work. We're back on the waiting list, but the wait has increased to 2+ years now. You can PM me with questions.

KarlsSweetie05 · June 2009

I forgot to mention Resolve. Their website has information too.

https://www.resolve.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lrn_wamo_fb

also search around their website to see if there is more information.

they had free seminars in a few cities earlier this year about embryo donation/adoption.

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Has anyone here done/heard about Embryo Adoption?

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