Collaborative Post
When you are thinking about becoming a parent but don’t have the time or money to use traditional methods, embryo adoption may be an option for you. Unfortunately, there’s a misconception that embryo adoption is only for infertile couples. The truth is, it can be an option if you want to adopt a child but don’t know how or when you’ll meet your future spouse and start your family. This article discusses some of the critical things you need to know about embryo adoption before making this choice.
What’s Embryo Adoption?
It is a process in which a couple agrees to donate an embryo for another person or family. The donated embryos are usually not genetically related to the receiving parents. Embryo adoption programs are most often run through fertility clinics, with donors receiving compensation of some kind.
In this process, the donating family must have already had at least one successful pregnancy and delivery with those same eggs or sperm cells. When sperm-donating does not work out due to low sperm count or other reasons, couples can pursue egg donation instead. The donated egg or sperm cell will be fertilized with fresh donor sperm from the recipient’s partner, resulting in a baby that shares DNA from both parents.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
How Successful is Embryo Donation?
Embryo donation is one of the many options available for couples who want to have children but cannot do so on their own. For some, it provides an opportunity that they may not otherwise have been able to explore.
The success rate of normal embryo transfer and pregnancy is more than 90%. This is much higher than the success rate of other traditional fertility treatments. However, these statistics may vary depending on the fertility clinic you visit and the program you select. It also depends on the quality of embryos you choose to use.
What Is the Process of Adopting an Embryo?
There are six steps involved in the embryo adoption process, namely:
- Selecting an egg donor
- Getting a doctor’s approval
- Deciding on a clinic to work with
- Selecting an embryo
- Going through the legal adoption process and contract signing
- Taking possession of your new child
How Do You Know You’ve Gotten Quality Embryos?
Many things determine the quality of the embryos. Some of these factors include the number and quality of eggs, fertilization success rates, embryo culture conditions (including how long they are left to grow), and their chromosomal makeup.
The genetic information of an embryo is important because it can tell whether or not an individual may be at higher risk for certain genetic disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Careful selection of donors will help ensure that your future child does not inherit any undesirable traits from either parent’s side of the family tree.
Where Can You Find Embryos?
Embryos are in high demand, but that doesn’t stop you from adopting them. So, where do you go to find an embryo? The best place would be a fertility clinic or agency specializing in adopting embryos and surrogacy services. Every agency has its set criteria for what it will provide through the process. For example, many agencies offer IVF fertilization with fresh cycles, so all donors have genetic material from both parents via the egg donor and sperm donor.
Embryo adoption is a rewarding process. If you’re considering this option or know someone who might be, this information can help you or them make a decision. Alternatively, you can talk to your doctor and get more information about it.