Embryo Donation: You have questions!

Jan 11, 2021

We know you care about what happens to your remaining embryos. Even when you have decided that it is important to you to give them an opportunity at a full life, deciding what to do with your remaining embryos is difficult.

As you begin this journey of considering what is best solution for your remaining embryos, it is important to ask yourself three important questions:

  1. Is it time to “let go” of my remaining embryos?
  2. What is my highest priority in this decision?
  3. What is holding me back from making this decision?

Once you start to grapple with these first questions (and their potentially difficult answers), more specific questions will start arising:

  • Will my embryos go to a loving family?
  • Will they be distributed among multiple families?
  • What if we used donor egg or sperm in creating the embryos? Can I still donate them?
  • Do I tell my children about my decision to donate my embryos?
  • Is it important to me to know what happens in the long run with my remaining embryos?

Wrestling with these concerns now puts you in a place where even more questions come up as you move closer to reaching out to an adoption agency or a donation program. Ultimately, it is best when your goals and desires align with the program you choose.

Here are some questions to ask of an embryo adoption program or donation program you are considering donating your embryos to:

  1. What is involved legally, and will the agency assist me with that?
  2. Do you have restrictions on the types of embryos that you receive?
  3. What kind of experience does this agency/program have? How long have they been around? How many families have they helped?
  4. Is there a cost to donating my remaining embryos?
  5. Does the program help with collecting the embryology paperwork and completing the FDA-required blood tests?
  6. How am I supported?
  7. Will I know what happens to my embryos?

Here is the hard truth: Putting off the decision of what to do with your remaining embryos does not help you reach a decision and only will make you more anxious about the donation process.

So, take courage and be prepared to be honest with yourself and others during the journey! We have a list of embryo adoption and donation organizations on our website where you can start your research. You can do this!

To learn more about embryo donation and adoption, visit EmbryoAdoption.org.

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