Embryo adoption is a process that gives you an opportunity to grow your family.
Adopting embryos is possible because of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and the generosity of others who have completed their family building journey.
Contact us online to get the support you deserve with making your dreams of parenthood come to life through embryo adoption. Whether that’s learning more about using adopted embryos for surrogacy or recommending reputable fertility clinics near you that have embryo adoption programs, we’re here for you.
This article can serve as your go-to all things related to adopting frozen embryos, from why it may be an option for your journey to the steps involved.
What is Embryo Adoption?
Embryo adoption is the legal process that transfers embryos that have been frozen and donated by families who have left over embryos after completing their IVF journey, whether that means they are done growing their family or no longer need them.
IVF cycles produce multiple embryos, but not all embryos will be used. These remaining embryos are:
Frozen for later use Donated to research Donated to other intended parent(s) or Destroyed
Embryo adoption was a term originally coined by a Christian adoption agency, but comparing it to embryo donation is comparing two terms that are legally the same in terms of how they are regulated.
If you want to adopt an embryo, you should know that embryo adoption is not regulated by adoption law.
The Embryo Adoption Awareness Center puts it like this:
If you work with an embryo adoption agency, the process could be more comparable to adoption, with steps like a home study and legal contract being a part of the process.
Embryo adoption views the embryo as a child and has a more comprehensive legal process vs. embryo donation where you accept the embryos and is viewed as a gift that’s being donated.
What Happens in Embryo Adoption?
Embryo adoption is a legal process that sees intended parents “adopt” embryos from families who no longer need them. Embryo adoption gives intended parents a viable path to parenthood if they are having trouble conceiving or are concerned about passing on genetic disorders.
How Does Embryo Adoption Work? [6 Steps]
When it comes to frozen embryo adoption, no two adoptions will look exactly the same. The choices you make during this family building journey will determine what it looks like for you.
However, there are some general steps to the process to give you an idea of how it might play out for you:
Step 1: Choose Embryo Adoption
Embryo adoption is an option for you if:
- You and/or your partner are infertile.
- You and/or your partner are concerned about passing on genetic disorders.
- You and/or your partner have had recurrent IVF failures.
- You and/or your partner are looking for an alternative to infertility treatments such as IVF or donor egg recipient IVF.
- You and /or your partner have concerns about the high cost of IVF or creating more embryos.
- You are a single individual
- You and your partner are a LGBT couple
In a regular adoption, the birth mother has the right to choose whether or not she wants a relationship with her child and the adoptive family after placement is complete.
With embryo adoption, you are able to choose that relationship and what it looks like between an open, closed or semi-open adoption.
Step 2: Contact a Professional
When you choose to adopt an embryo, the choice of who you work with to do so is important. The services they offer are designed to make the process as smooth and straightforward as possible.
More and more fertility clinics have added embryo adoption programs to their suite of services and there are even embryo adoption agencies that specifically deal with embryo adoption.
Step 3: Home Study
Although many agencies and clinics have home study requirements for embryos available for adoption, that is not the case for all of them.
If you want to adopt an embryo it is not legally required to complete a home study, unlike with a regular adoption where it’s required.
Step 4: Matching
Before adopting embryos, you can learn about the embryo donors through their embryo donor profile.
Depending on the professional you work with, some offer known vs. unknown embryo adoption that give you insight into the embryo’s parents such as their:
- Medical history
- Physical characteristics
- Interests
- Values
- And more
Each professional has a different way they approach the matching process so be sure to clarify what their policy is when deciding on who to work with.
Step 5: Legal Contracts
Adopting frozen embryos can come with legal steps depending on the professional you work with.
An embryo adoption agency, for example, follows a process that’s like a traditional adoption.
They may ask you to complete a legal contract. Legal contracts handle the relinquishment of the embryo donor’s parental rights while establishing you as the legal parents of any children that come from the adopted embryos.
Having your own legal representation will ensure your rights are protected.
Step 6: Embryo Transfer
The legal processes must be completed before the medical steps can begin.
Your fertility clinic will complete the embryo transfer in your or your surrogate’s uterus. No matter who is on the receiving end of the adopted embryos, they will undergo medical screenings to ensure they can complete a pregnancy safely.
What Are the Benefits of Frozen Embryo Adoption?
When you decide to adopt embryos, one of the primary benefits is the opportunity to grow your family when the time is right.
Parenthood may be something you’ve been dreaming about for years and whether it’s for a medical, or any other, reason, this gives you that chance.
The benefits of adopting embryos also include:
Reduced costs Reduced wait times High success rates Medically and legally safe And much more
What Is the Difference Between IVF and Embryo Adoption?
Although both are ways to have a child, they differ in success rates, cost and process. IVF stimulates the ovaries leading to the creation of embryos in a lab. Embryo adoption consists of a legal process that sees the donors transfer their frozen embryos to another family.
IVF and embryo adoption are both forms of assisted reproductive technology (ART) that can help you have the family you’ve always envisioned.
But with IVF, you are creating embryos with your or/and your partner’s gametes. The embryo that’s created as a result can then be transferred to your surrogate’s uterus.
With embryo adoption, you are not creating embryos, you are receiving donated embryos from individuals or couples who no longer need them. Once you receive these embryos, they can be transferred to your or your surrogate’s uterus.
To learn more about embryo donation with a surrogate, get in touch with us today.
How Much Does Embryo Adoption Cost?
There isn’t an exact figure for cost if you choose embryo adoption.
Your cost will depend on your circumstances and the professional you choose to work with. But the average cost is lower vs. traditional adoption, egg donation or IVF coming in at $10,000-$15,000 on average.
Factors that will impact your costs include:
- Agency fees
- Legal fees
- Embryo shipping
- Matching services
- Medical screening
- Counseling
- Home study fees
- Frozen embryo transfer
The average cost is lower for adopting embryos because it removes some costly expenses involved with other family building avenues like birth parent living expenses and travel costs.
And although home study fees are included in factors that can impact your costs, your choice of embryo adoption agency can determine whether or not you even need to have costs like these.
You could be at the start of your journey to parenthood, considering IVF, or further on, wondering what your options are after having gone through IVF treatments already. No matter where you are in your journey to growing your family, we’re here to help however we can.
Is Embryo Adoption Cheaper Than IVF?
Yes, embryo adoption is cheaper than IVF. Embryo adoption consists of costs such as legal fees, transportation, medical expenses, and medication and location fees. Even with all of those costs, the average is still much less than IVF, with one cycle averaging $21,600 in the U.S.
If embryo adoption is right for your situation, we can connect you with reputable fertility clinics that can help facilitate an embryo adoption or help you determine your options for embryo adoption if you can’t carry yourself. Get in touch with us today, we’re here for you whenever you need us.