7 Facts You Didn’t Know About Embryo Adoption

Different options for adoption are increasing in number and type, although many options are still fairly new. One such fairly new option, but one that is becoming increasingly popular, is embryo adoption. This will teach you 7 facts that you may not have previously known  about embryo adoption:

Embryo Donation usually happens as a result of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments. IVF treatments are where the implantation of an embryo or multiple embryos results in pregnancy and the birth of children. Quite often there are “leftover” embryos that the birth parents have jurisdiction over. There are currently over 600,000 embryos in this situation in the United States. One of the choices for the parents of the embryo is a donation to an embryo adoption program.

It is relatively inexpensive. Embryo adoption costs between $6,000 – $18,000, depending on travel, legal fees, and clinic expenses. The cost of traditional domestic infant adoption is often significantly higher, meaning that in comparison, embryo adoption is a less expensive method of adoption.

Waiting time is fairly short. The application is made, the home study is completed, and then a match is made, all within about 6 months. Of course, after this, there is a 9-month wait for pregnancy.

Success rates are pretty good. There is currently a 35% chance that implantation of a frozen adopted embryo will result in a live birth.

Required legal forms need to be signed before embryonic implantation may take place. This ensures that the donating parents won’t change their minds. The donating parents will never have any legal right nor legal responsibility for the child(ren) being adopted as embryos.

Adoptive parents receive biological parental information. This includes a comprehensive medical history of both of the parents, a family profile, and sometimes even photos.

A list of embryo adoption agencies, as well as additional information on embryo adoptions, is available at EmbryoAdoption.org.