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What Is Embryo Adoption?
Many people are curious as to the origins of my twins and the particulars of embryo adoption. So...welcome to Embryo Adoption 101. For a little over 20 years, previously infertile couples have utilized a technique called in vitro fertilization, or IVF. As time has elapsed, the science has progressed to the point where success, and therefore parenthood, is easier to achieve. This success has also resulted in an unexpected outcome - surplus embryos.When a woman undergoes IVF, or uses an ovum donor, the monthly ripening of eggs is stimulated by hormonal means. Each person's body reacts differently to these drugs. Some may not respond at all, while others can "hyperstimulate", resulting in as many as 30 or more eggs ripening at once.
As advanced as these techniques may seem, the bottom line is that embryologists cannot tell which eggs are "good" eggs, and which are "bad." If only 2 or 3 eggs are chosen for fertilization, and the process fails, a woman has to undergo another cycle - a cycle which is emotionally, physically, and financially strenuous. The only logical decision is to attempt fertilization of all eggs that are retrieved - be they 3 or 30.
In the petri dish, as in nature, most fertilized eggs do not survive. Growth discontinues after a division or two, or even a day or two. Those that make it 5 days, however, are great candidates for a successful pregnancy. At that point, a woman and her doctor will decide how many to return to the uterus - usually between 1 and 3 depending on factors including embryo quality and the age of the woman.
Now, if you are one of the "lucky" ones, who produced up to 30 eggs, and had, lets say, half of them fertilize, and perhaps 8 or 10 make it to day five (also known as "blastocyst phase", you are faced with a problem: What should be done with the remaining embryos?
Most people wait until they have a successful pregnancy to decide. This time delay requires that all viable embryos be frozen in liquid nitrogen until such time as a decision is made. Often, remaining embryos are thawed and transferred in the hopes of a subsequent pregnancy.
For those lucky persons who successfully complete their family, a decision must be made. Do you let the embryos thaw and expire? Do you donate them to stem cell research? Or do you put them up for adoption?
In embryo adoption, a woman anonymously donates her frozen embryos into an adoption pool. Medical profiles are created for both the egg and sperm donors. Further testing is done to eliminate the chance of spreading disease. Legal documents are signed relinquishing rights to and obligations towards any children that may arise.
On the other side of the equation is the woman who wants to adopt. Many women want to do this because they are infertile and wish to experience pregnancy. Others do this because they are older, and do not wish to risk multiple miscarriages and birth defects.
In my case, adopting healthy infants was my goal. Most infants available for adoption must be obtained overseas at great cost, and with great travel needs. Domestic children available are usually part of the foster care system, and often suffer attachment disorders following repeated failed placements, not to mention suffering from the traumas of having lived in dysfunction so severe as to be removed from the original birth family. Single persons in particular are considered less desireable than a two person family, and are only offered those considered unadoptable by "desireable" families. These are often severely handicapped or emotionally disturbed children requiring 24/7 care and intervention. As a single woman working full time, I could not legitimately take on the responsibility of providing adequate care for such a child AND meet ing my responsibilities as a teacher. So, I had to find an alternative, non-traditional means of adoption. Embryo adoption gave me that opportunity.
As I look at my two beautiful children, I am in awe as to the series of events that led us to each other. Somewhere out there, they have at least one full sibling, and one half sibling. But I am their mommy. I gave them a place to grow in and be born from. From before conciousness set in, they have only known me as their mother. We may be genetically divergent, but emotionally, one could never guess that these - my children by birth, were actually adopted.
It is estimated that over 3/4 million embryos now remain in frozen storage worldwide. Important decisions need to be made. Will they be used for further family building? Will they be adopted? Many people are stalled in the decision making process, but the embryos cannot be left unsupported indefinitely. The Bush administration had planned to make a public awareness campaign in 2001, supporting the choice for embryo adoption. Unfortunately, the campaign faded away amidst the more attention getting events of 9/11. Fortunately, I did not forget, and today, I reap the rewards of my persistant path towards parenthood. Welcome, little Autumn! Welcome, little Jakob!
