Creating embryos is a significant milestone in your fertility journey.
If you're at this stage, you're probably wondering what the next steps are. The most important thing to understand is that you have several options after creating embryos.
Taking the time to explore your options will help you find the best path forward, whether you’re ready to grow your family now or want to prepare for the future. Each choice has its own unique benefits and considerations that can shape your experience.
In this article, we’ll go over your three options and help you make the best decision for your family. Ready to take the next step? You can learn more about the embryo transfer process or fill out our contact form to start your surrogacy journey.
Below, we'll cover three main paths you can take once you have embryos: in vitro fertilization (IVF), gestational surrogacy and cryopreservation.What Are the Options After Creating Embryos?
1. In Vitro Fertilization
If you’ve already created embryos, IVF allows you to use your embryos to achieve pregnancy with the assistance of your fertility clinic. This process involves creating embryos using either your own egg and sperm , donor gametes or donor embryos, and then transferring the embryos to your or your partner’s uterus.
Many people choose IVF because it offers the opportunity to experience pregnancy and childbirth directly. However, it's important to consider that if you have a condition that makes achieving and sustaining a pregnancy difficult, IVF can be physically and emotionally demanding. It may also take several cycles before achieving a successful pregnancy, which can be costly.
If carrying a pregnancy yourself isn't an option, gestational surrogacy is a fantastic alternative. Since you already have embryos, you can be matched with a surrogate relatively quickly, which means you’re one step closer to holding your child in your arms. Because of our national reach and thorough screening process, we can match you with a surrogate in one to six months. View our available surrogates online. Surrogacy offers several benefits for individuals and couples struggling with infertility: All of our surrogates have been carefully screened and have met several requirements, such as having successfully given birth and meeting specific medical and personal criteria. This means there's a good chance your surrogate will be able to carry your baby to term. One of the major benefits of gestational surrogacy is that your baby will still be genetically related to you or your partner, depending on the source of the egg and sperm. You'll have the opportunity to be involved from day one, sharing in the excitement of each milestone along the way. Surrogacy is generally more of a financial investment than IVF, but for many, the reward of having a child is well worth it. For more information about surrogacy, contact us online today. Our surrogacy specialists can answer your questions and personalized guidance based on your family-building goals.2. Gestational Surrogacy
3. Cryopreservation for Future Use
Cryopreservation is an option for both IVF and surrogacy, or if you want to preserve your embryos for future use. This is ideal if you're not ready to pursue a pregnancy right now or if you want to keep your family-building options open. The process involves freezing your embryos through a technique called vitrification, where they are rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen at extremely low temperatures.
Once preserved, your embryos can be stored indefinitely in your fertility clinic or embryo bank of choice, giving you the flexibility to decide when or if you want to pursue pregnancy.
Two things you will want to consider with indefinite storage are:
Embryo storage costs between 0 and ,000 a year depending on the facility. The legal status of stored embryos can be complex and vary by jurisdiction. Changes in laws or personal circumstances may affect the handling or use of embryos in the future.
If IVF hasn't worked for you or isn't the right choice, other options for infertile couples may be better suited to your needs. Perhaps you created embryos specifically for surrogacy due to medical advice against carrying a pregnancy, or maybe you're part of an LGBTQ couple looking for a family-building option. Exploring alternatives like gestational surrogacy can provide you with a path forward that aligns with your personal and medical circumstances. Talk with your fertility specialist if IVF hasn’t been working out for you. They can help you determine if it’s time to consider other options to help you fulfill your goal of becoming a parent.What Is the Best Alternative to IVF?
What Can You Do With Leftover Embryos?
After achieving success with IVF or surrogacy, it’s possible to have embryos you don’t intend to use. For instance, you might:
Stop pursuing additional pregnancies after achieving the perfect family size Experience changes in personal circumstances that affect your plans Decide to pivot to donor embryos instead Want to grow your family through a different route such as adoption
If you have leftover embryos, you might not be sure what to do with them. Depending on the state you live in, you have four options after creating embryos:
1. Indefinite Storage
You can choose to store your embryos, especially if you might want to try for another pregnancy in the future. This option allows you to make a decision later. However, storage fees add up over time.
2. Embryo Donation
Another option is to donate your embryos to a fertility clinic and give others the chance to become parents. There are certain requirements for donation, but if your embryos are viable, this can be a rewarding way to help others. You can also donate your embryos to a research facility to contribute to science.
3. Medical Disposal
If you decide you no longer wish to keep your embryos, you can opt for medical disposal. This process typically involves signing paperwork, paying a minimal fee and having your fertility clinic or storage facility discard the embryos. Just be sure to check your state’s IVF laws. For instance, Alabama and Louisiana make this option legally risky, so you may need to ship your embryo to another state first.
4. Compassionate Transfer
Some couples and individuals choose compassionate transfers instead of discarding their embryos. This process involves transferring the embryos to a uterus at a time when pregnancy is unlikely to occur. This option can provide a sense of closure and honor the potential life your embryos represent. However, it can cost up to $4,500, so it's important to weigh the emotional and financial aspects.
Whether you're considering IVF, surrogacy or cryopreservation, understanding your choices will help you make the best decision for your family. If you already have embryos and want to move forward with surrogacy, you can begin the process as soon as you want. Just fill out our form or call 1-800-875-BABY to get in touch with a surrogacy specialist. Still gathering information? Check out our article on the surrogacy process to learn more. Your path to parenthood is unique, and we're here to support you every step of the way.Reviewing Your Options After Creating Embryos