In the last Awareness Center blog, we shared four little known facts about embryo donation and adoption. There are many more interesting facts about embryo donation and adoption, but I have selected just three more to divulge to you.
• Embryo adoption is the affordable family building choice.
- In Vitro Fertilization in and of itself can be expensive, running $10,000 to $15,000. However, many times, couples may need to purchase ‘donor’ human eggs in order to successfully create embryos. This can add $10,000.00 – $50,000.00 to the cost of IVF. Donated embryos have no cost. When fertility treatments fail, many families turn to adoption, but traditional forms of adoption can also be extremely expensive and can be a limiting factor for families seeking to expand. International adoption costs $25,000 – $45,000. Domestic adoption costs $20,000 – $25,000. Embryo Adoption, in comparison, costs $10,000 – $15,000.
• Embryo adoption is accessible.
- 8 embryo adoption programs in the U.S. are helping families pursue this new adoption choice. Additionally, 204 fertility clinics have embryo donation programs. You can find lists to these programs on the Awareness Center’s website. When couples are determining how to pursue embryo adoption, they should understand the differences between fertility clinic programs and embryo adoption programs.
- Most clinics that have an embryo donation program provide very limited information to the recipients about the donors. Medical information about the donated embryos is provided to the recipient. Embryo adoption programs are more child-centric in their processes and provide safeguards for both the donating and adopting families. Adoption agencies have proven processes, legal contracts, counseling and educational programs in place to guide families through embryo adoption. An adoption agency is focused not only on assisting their client in building their family, but in providing them with appropriate social/emotional education to support them before and after the adoption is completed.
• Human embryos have no determined shelf-life.
- In May 2010, a healthy, bouncing baby boy was born from an adopted embryo that had been frozen for 20 years. Healthy babies have also been born from embryos that have been frozen and thawed, and then frozen again and thawed.
Still looking for more information on embryo donation and adoption? Visit the website of the Awareness Center for answers to frequently asked questions, personal stories from families who have donated or adopted embryos, educational videos and more.
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