When my husband and I began our IVF journey, I felt a mixture of fear and excitement. After struggling to grow our family, IVF gave us the opportunity to have biological children.
We were blessed with seven embryos, and after transferring two, we received the wonderful news that both had implanted. Overnight, we found ourselves preparing to become parents of twins. A few months into the pregnancy, everything changed: Our daughter was diagnosed with Trisomy 13, a rare chromosomal disorder. We held onto hope while preparing for an uncertain future, cherishing every moment we had with her.
On February 2012, I experienced a medical emergency that required an emergency cesarean section. Our twins were born prematurely. While our son, Christian, survived, our daughter, Eve, passed away the following day.
Bringing Christian home was bittersweet. Alongside the joy of welcoming our son, we were grieving the loss of his twin sister. Soon afterward, I learned that complications from the delivery had left me with Secondary Addison’s Disease. My doctors advised that another pregnancy, or even another IVF transfer, would be too dangerous for my health.
In an instant, the future I had imagined changed. We still had five frozen embryos, but I could no longer carry them myself. For years, I wrestled with what to do. The thought of placing our remaining embryos with another family felt overwhelming because I had always hoped they would become part of our home.
As we searched for options, we discovered Nightlight’s Snowflakes Embryo Adoption Program. Learning about embryo adoption gave us a perspective we hadn’t considered before. The program approached embryo placement thoughtfully and intentionally, allowing families to carefully choose adoptive parents and remain involved through varying levels of openness.
Even knowing this, the decision was incredibly difficult.
Completing the paperwork brought many tears because it meant letting go of the future I had envisioned. At the same time, I realized our embryos represented lives with the potential to grow in another loving family. That understanding gradually shifted my perspective.
Reviewing adoptive family profiles was another emotional step. At first, I did not want to connect with anyone. It felt like it would make saying goodbye even harder. But one family’s profile stood out. Their compassion, values, and excitement about becoming parents gave us confidence that they would provide a wonderful home.
We chose an open adoption because we wanted the opportunity to stay connected over time. While I knew seeing updates might be bittersweet, I also knew I wanted to watch these children’s lives unfold and build a relationship with the family raising them.
Today, we exchange emails, celebrate milestones, and enjoy sending gifts to their daughter. One of the most meaningful moments came when the adoptive family sent me a bracelet engraved with the words “Forever Grateful,” along with five tiny snowflakes representing our embryos. It was an incredibly thoughtful reminder that this decision, while painful, had also brought tremendous joy to another family.
Embryo adoption is not an easy path. It involves grief, uncertainty, and a great deal of trust. But it can also be filled with hope, healing, and unexpected connections.
Looking back, I still grieve the future I once imagined. At the same time, I have found peace in knowing our embryos were given the opportunity to become part of a family who longed for children just as deeply as we once did. What began as one of the hardest decisions of our lives has become a story of love, generosity, and hope—one that continues to unfold with each passing year.
Do you have an embryo adoption or donation story? Send your story and photos to us! Post them yourself via Facebook, or email us your story, and we will make it available on our Family Stories page, found on our website.
Email Paige@nightlight.org and help another family build their embryo donation or adoption story.
To learn about embryo donation and adoption, visit EmbryoAdoption.org.
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