Skip to main content

Why Couples Without Infertility Adopt Embryos

I'm grateful to one of my readers who recently posted a completely fair question to the blog: Why did you decide to pursue embryo adoption even though you didn't face infertility?

Julie and I made sure to address this issue right up front in the letter we wrote to the couple that eventually became our placing family. (Note: A placing family is adoption lingo for a couple whose embryos have been frozen. Without our placing family, little Phoebe wouldn't be part of our household. John and Kris, we'll never be able to adequately thank you! We're honored to be on this journey with you.)

You see, there were at least five primary reasons we chose embryo adoption:

  • Friends of friends had successfully adopted embryos and brought them to term
  • Julie's background is as a scientist studying infertility, specifically endometriosis
  • We had discussed adoption since before we were married 10 years ago
  • As Christians, we believe life begins at conception, and that every embryo deserves the best chance at life -- the same is true for placing families who pay to have embryos stored 
  • Embryo adoption is about half as expensive as other forms of adoption
Part of me feels guilty because Julie and I have never faced infertility. It is a terribly painful experience for many, many couples, and I will never claim to understand what that feels like. The other part of me, though, wants couples to know that embryo adoption is a viable choice. Don't misread me: Prospective moms need to consult their doctors and other health experts to ensure they are able to undergo the regimen of medications and treatments embryo adoption requires.

I suspect if women have been through IVF cycles, they will know at least some of the routine quite well. 

Without question, embryo adoption isn't for everyone. But Julie and I believe more couples could be great candidates for adoption if they only knew it was even a possibility. 

Thank you for the question, and please keep them coming.

What do you want to know about embryo adoption? What information or encouragement would be helpful to you? Share your ideas by posting a comment below.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Spark Inside Every Baby

Julie and I enjoyed a delightful evening with longtime friends for the Fourth of July. The day ended with 360 degrees of fireworks around their home in southwest Missouri. There is a visceral excitement surrounding Independence Day. You can feel the explosive "pop" of fireworks as they launch from the ground and again when they burst apart mid-air. Every flash of light, every report -- the booms and the screams -- rekindles memories of my childhood in Colorado. My family would pack up our lawn chairs and head to a nearby golf course to watch fireworks launched from the Boulder County Fairgrounds. More recently, we've joined my parents to watch displays against the backdrop of the Flatirons. Yet for all of the similarities fireworks share, each is unique. There is fresh excitement for the observer because it's impossible to predict what the next display will look like, exactly. If you are a parent, you understand that watching your children mature similarly e...
2 comments
Read more

Make No Excuses

I come from a long line of apologists. By which I mean, we apologize and express regret for many if not most of the things we do, most days of the week. Perhaps you know people like this. As a parent, I have come to realize that this approach is largely a waste of time and energy. Both of those resources are in short supply. Who cares what other people think about your decisions? It's tough to critique people who act with integrity and within the framework of their faith. For example, tonight my energy is waning. Julie and I just completed our monthly budget. It is prime-time entertainment, let me tell you. I'd like to keep on pushing forward on my manuscript. That big announcement I've been promising is coming any day now. I'm beyond excited. It pains me that my eyelids are drooping. Microsoft Word will be around tomorrow, just as it is today. But tonight, I am saying: No. I've heard it's a complete sentence . You have my permission to say "n...
2 comments
Read more

An Epic Meltdown

Ezra had a major coming apart this evening, probably the product of too many long days and late nights. He hit. He kicked. He yelled over our family Bible story. I reminded him of Ephesians 6:1 where children are instructed to obey their parents. That went over like a lead balloon. After two trips to the bathroom to arm wrestle a toothbrush into his mouth, a potty break and two Kleenexes, the house is finally quiet. Except for the dog, who is snoring. I will save my meltdown for another day, when I have a bigger crowd to feel sorry for me.
Post a Comment
Read more