Hi everyone,
We're doing our last IUI cycle this month #4 and if it doesn't work are moving to IVF. I have mixed feelings about IVF...but don't want to get into them. I am excited to try IVF, think it's a great option, and hope that this works for us!
My question for all of you is that for those of you who have done IVF, and are at the end of your journey not wanting to use any left over frozen embryos for whatever reason, or have as many children as you would ever want...has any of you donated left over embryos for other infertile couples? If not..what did you do with them? I support everyone's individual decisions...I was just wondering if I got to the point where I actually had left over embryos after having our family what to do with them...and this option looked appealing.
Has anyone had either a positive or negative experience with embryo donation? Hmm...I can't believe that I just said the phrase embryo donation. It sounds like a weird phrase mentioned in either a medical journal or some crazy ethics book I always find too boring to read. It's amazing what words become part of my vocabulary during this inferitility journey. Thanks again...and as I said there are so many things to do with left over embryos and I support everyones decision to make their own choice... I just wondered what everyone's experince has been. Hope everyone is having a great new year...and that the first week back to work hasn't been too bad!
8 comments:
I haven't done IVF yet, but I am interested to hear what everyone says.
Assuming this one sticks around, I have 2 frozen blasts leftover that I won't be using.
I cannot donate them because they were made with donor sperm, and such "double donation" is illegal here.
I could donate to research, but they have HEAPS in storage for that, and no research projects are on the horizon in the next decade.
The option I'm left with would be to let them demise. I would most likely pick them up & "release" them into the sea or something, rather than let them go on the embryology lab bench.
If I COULD donate them to somebody, I don't think that I would, mostly because that would mean there was a family out there with a child/children who were fully genetically related to my son, who isn't genetically related to this current "baby" at all.
However, I have been looking into donating my eggs since before I started ttc, and if I am done breastfeeding before I am too old, I will most likely do that, in a known situation.
This is something I have wondered too. On the off chance I should have any embryos left after the whole thing I would rather someone else benefit from them instead of just letting them die or whatever. I know that I have to have lab testing done before hand if I'm going to do this. Also I'm not sure where you would go through. I know there is a Christian organization that does deal with this. I likely would not choose them because I would never qualify to adopt from them but it is an option.
hi, I came over thru L&F. before ivf, my clinic makes you sign a ton of consent forms for what to do with unused embryos and other "leftover" raw materials, e.g., nonviable eggs and extra sperm.
as for the embryos, we had to answer what to do if we have "extras," if either one of us dies, if both of us die, if we get divorced, or if we abandon them or fail to pay the bill for 5 yrs. I'm curious if this just a calif. thing because of past lawsuits?
we wanted to hold on to extras for FET attempts, or for future siblings. but we agreed in several other instances to donate any other embryos for use. but my eggs are 38+ yrs old so I'm not sure who else would want our embryos since I'm too old to be a DE.
we also agreed to donate our leftover raw materials to science to help improve ivf protocols and for other health-based research. fyi I recently blogged about an article re: the value of research using unfertilized eggs: http://lifefromhere.wordpress.com/2007/12/21/create-a-life-help-save-a-life/
~luna
Jen~
I haven't had any embroys left to donate (or freeze for that matter) after any of our 4 IVF cycles (2 with donor eggs) but we are currently on a waiting list to recieve donor embryos at our RE's office. I can tell you that if we are lucky enough to recieve donor embryos and get pg they will be the most wanted and loved children in the world. After almost 9 years of TTC and losing 6 babies, this might be our only option left short of the long adoption process. And I will be forever grateful for the wonderful couple who gave us the wonderful gift of a family! So much good can come from donating as opposed to destroying in my opinion (biased as that might be.) A tough decision and a very personal one. I know you will make the right choice for you if the time comes.
I haven't done IVF or DE but we're considered Embryo Adoption so I've done a ton of reading on it.
Embryo Adoption and Donation falls under property laws.
I know there are a couple different ways it can be done. With the agency we're considering, it's executed much like a traditional adoption--adoptive parents do home studies and are matched to potential donors. Then you as the donors select the adoptive parents. You're initially matched by the agency based on commonality of criteria like family structure, beliefs, desired level of openness, etc but then you actually choose a family and if that happens, then the adopting family is notified. You transfer "ownership" of your embryos directly to the adopting family. If a child is successfully conceived and born, you as the donor are notified through the agency. What level of contact you keep after that depends on the arrangement you made.
The other option is much more anonymous. You donate your embryos and transfer ownership to the clinic/bank. They will then go through their procedure of transferring them to adoptive parents. In this method, you likely don't know anything about whether your embryos were successfully thawed, implanted and if they eventually lead to a live birth.
Some people like having a little more control and knowledge of where their embryos are ending up and others prefer to close the door with the transfer and be protected by the anonymity. Either way I can't imagine what a tough decision it is for you. Hugs.
I found your blog through lost+found too. I have a 4 month old son through embryo adoption/donation and it was and is a great experience. We even have an open relationship with the bio family . . . they have even met our son. Check out my blog (http://suzzcq70.blogspot.com) or email any questions! I want to get the word out!
I talked to my DH about potentially donating embryos if we have to go to IVF and if we have some left over. He was 100% against it -- to him, having a genetic kid out there who he didn't know is out of the question. He also doesn't want anyone else raising "his kid." I totally disagree, but we have already seen the paperwork from our specialist's office and we both have to sign off on any eventual donation, so unfortunately it looks like we won't be doing it. If it was only my decision, I'd definitely do it -- better to give them a chance than to destroy them.
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