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5 Benefits Of Embryo Adoption


I've found that one of the first barriers to considering embryo adoption is often simple: Parents want to understand what exactly it is. That's the barrier I personally ran up against until I had considered why it might be a fit for our family.

Embryo adoption can be a good fit for a number of reasons, five of which I'll explain here. Every family is different, and you might determine it won't work for you. With any adoption, you must first consider whether you and your spouse are physically, emotionally and financially ready for the journey ahead.

If those pillars are in place, these benefits will come naturally:


  1. Embryo adoption allows you to bond with your baby from the beginning. Because embryos created during in vitro fertilization (IVF) are frozen at sub-zero temperatures, which pushes pause on development, your embryo baby essentially starts from just a few days old at transfer to the uterus. Contrary to a popular myth, your baby's age isn't determined by the year in which his or her embryo was frozen. It's a nice ice breaker at a dinner party, but your baby's birthday will solely be determined by his or her actually day of birth rather than day of freeze.
  2. Embryo adoption allows you deep insights into your placing family. If you work with an adoption agency, you will likely have access to three generations of your baby's medical records. You will have time to review those with your doctor and think about how you can support your baby from birth by responding to any medical needs, or anticipate what future needs might be.
  3. Embryo adoptions can be as open as more common domestic adoptions. You and your placing family will converse through your adoption agency and, if you choose, directly before and after your baby's arrival. You can discuss how often you would like to share updates, how that information will be disseminated (e.g. text message, social media, email, phone) and whether you are comfortable meeting in person. 
  4. Embryo adoption allows the mother to experience pregnancy. For women whose doctors have authorized them to proceed, it's my understanding that pregnancy -- while it has its ups and downs -- can be incredible. It allows further bonding with your baby at the earliest stages of life.
  5. Embryo adoption adds some certainty to your timeline. When a frozen embryo transfer and pregnancy are successful, you will have roughly nine months to plan for your baby's arrival, as you would with a conventional pregnancy. This is a blessing for all families readying for a new family member's arrival, especially new parents. 
I fully recognize embryo adoption won't make sense for all families under all circumstances. But if the benefits I've outlined pique your interest, I'd encourage you to subscribe to my blog using the box at the top of the page. Email your questions to me at nathanjbirt@gmail.com. We're all here to learn together!

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