Three Reasons Embryo Adoption is On the Rise

If it seems like you are hearing more and more about embryo adoption, you aren’t wrong. Not only has media coverage of the alternative family building method increased, so have the number of adoptions taking place each year. A steady increase over the last several years in the number of embryo adoptions isn’t a trend that’s likely to change anytime soon. So why is frozen embryo adoption becoming more and more popular?

• It’s affordable. Adopting a frozen embryo is often the most affordable option for a couple looking for alternative ways to grow their family. The process is less expensive than in vitro fertilization and often less expensive than domestic adoption.
• It’s becoming increasingly successful. As methods and procedures for thawing embryos continue to improve, the success rates for frozen embryo adoption continue to rise. For couples who have been facing significantly worse statistics in their dream of becoming parents, embryo adoption offers them hope.
• There is a growing need for this choice. As the number of couples turning to in vitro fertilization grows, there are more and more remaining embryos left in frozen storage. Current research shows well over 600,000 frozen embryos in the United States alone – a number that’s expected to rise exponentially. There is a growing dilemma about what to do with these embryos, and more post-IVF couples are choosing to donate this gift instead of keeping them in frozen storage or having them destroyed.