Where can I find human embryos?

You may have decided to explore embryo adoption as the right choice for your family.  But where do you find donated embryos?  Are they easy to get? As you do your research, you may find that more embryos are available through an embryo adoption agency than through a clinic.  Why?  Because adoption agencies allow the donating family to choose the recipient family for their leftover embryos. The donors know that an adoption agency is pre-qualifying the recipient through the use of an adoption home study.  The adoption process gives the donor more control of a very personal decision.

Here are a few ways to find embryos:

• Embryo adoption agency. These agencies specialize in matching donating families with adopting families. This matching process is beneficial to everyone involved, as it gives both parties some control over the situation and allows you to get to know the genetic family of your future children. Most agencies use an open adoption model, which can benefit you and your children in the future.
• Through your fertility clinic’s in-house embryo donation program. Not every clinic provides this option and often they have patients of their clinic on a waiting list for donated embryos.  If the clinic does not have a program, they may be able to recommend another clinic with a program.  Often fertility clinic embryo donation programs will only allow patients of the clinic to participate.
• Self-matching services. There are Facebook groups and message boards all over the internet that allow people to try to match themselves to a donating family. Make sure you get legal help to finalize the adoption, and fully vet the family you are adopting from before committing to anything. This do-it-yourself option is best for people who enjoy figuring out the necessary details for themselves, including legal documents, clinic coordination and embryo shipping.  Some agencies will help self-matched families with all of these details to ensure the process goes smoothly. 

Have questions about finding embryos available for adoption or want to find an embryo adoption agency in your area? Visit www.embryoadoption.org.