Continuing our support of National Infertility Awareness Week, today we draw your attention to an emerging trend that has proved a lifeline to many infertile couples, which is embryo adoption.
In the 40 years since the first test tube baby was born via IVF, a lot has happened in terms of the treatment options available for women with fertility problems. Now we see procedures such as low stimulation IVF, donor egg IVF, gestational surrogacy and elective egg freezing.
Since 1998 the option of embryo donation has also been available, but with strict guidelines. Embryo donation is the practice of donating excess frozen embryos, created as a result of IVF cycles to others who have been unsuccessful in their IVF journey.
If a couple, or a woman, has more embryos than they plan to use, they can opt to donate their frozen embryos to infertility centers to be adopted by someone else.
This technique resulted in more than 860 donated-embryo babies being born in the United States in 2018. The children born from this process are colloquially known as ‘snowflake babies’ following a presidential speech on frozen embryo use and stem cell research in 2001. The quote stated, “Like a snowflake each of these embryos is unique, with the unique genetic potential of an individual human being.” Through the generosity of donor families who opt to give a unique and lifelong gift of their own embryos to others in need.
According to the US Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), embryo donation is now growing by 20% per year for the last 3 years, 8 percentage points higher than any other IVF method and there are good reasons why this growth is likely to continue.
- Availability: SART estimates that there are around 13 million frozen embryos remaining in storage indefinitely while their families decide what to do with their ‘snowflakes’
- High success rates: The practice of using donated embryos dramatically increases pregnancy success rates, which for women over the age of 40, average 40% for donated embryos versus around 7% using a woman’s own eggs
- Potentially lower cost: The cost can be lower because the selected embryo is already created and ready to go
What about the relationship with the embryo donor?
Historically in the US, an embryo donor could only donate anonymously. However, nowadays donors can opt to have an ongoing relationship with the recipient family to support healthy child development for instance, they can immediately provide the embryo-donated child with ready-made siblings. Bearing in mind the responsibilities that go with this, the donor can select the recipient family with who they will have this lifelong bond. But whether they share contact information or remain anonymous, many donors want to feel connected with their recipient family and feel a sense of future responsibility for these potential children.
So what are the issues?
Firstly the donors, many successful IVF families, who are potential donors, are unaware of the option to donate, and even fewer know they can influence the choices that are made about placement of their embryos.
There are also logistical and legal connotations for those determined to donate. The best advice for these potential donors is to connect with a specialist embryo-donation agency who will assist with the logistical hurdles and match-making process.
The recipients, in turn face the primary aspect of cost, always an issue in the price-premium US healthcare market. As with other IVF treatments, some US clinics can offer finance options such as a shared financial risk model. This allows the patient to pay more upfront but the basic price is fixed allowing for more predictable financial planning on the customer’s behalf.
However, there are advantages to seeking embryo-donation in the US that can offset the higher costs. Firstly, recipients have real choice and can select a donor with certain characteristics e.g. ethnicity. Secondly, and most importantly, waiting times are generally short.
Lastly, as mentioned, in the US there is also the opportunity for recipients to form a bond with the donor family and for the donated-embryo child to form a bond with any ready-made siblings.
What about going abroad for embryo-donation?
IVF clinics in quite a few countries offer embryo donation with high quality services and good success rates. Countries include Spain, Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, Cyprus, India and Russia. The costs are usually cheaper than the US, but in each case the legal, ethical and procedural landscape will differ so it is always wise to get third party professional, specific and TRUSTWORTHY advice before proceeding.
It’s clear that embryo-donation, sometimes called embryo-adoption in the case where the donors maintain contact with the recipients is a growing trend in the US, and that a public education programme is needed to recruit the many potential donors who already have viable frozen embryos available.
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