Options for Infertility – Embryo Adoption

You grew up looking at yourself in the full-length mirror. You’d turn to the side and put your hands around your stomach wondering what the feeling would be like to have a little human growing within you. What would it be like to feel the little kick of the feet or have him hiccup inside of you? What would your body actually look like? 

You start down the infertility journey only to find out that the doctor has reported that you don’t have viable eggs and/or your husband doesn’t have healthy sperm. What about that feeling of being pregnant? What about all your hopes and dreams of having children?

Now there’s a newer option to Canada called Embryo Adoption. 

Embryo adoption began because of a growing number of leftover embryos from couples that have gone through Invitro Fertilization (IVF). They had more embryos than the family size they desired or could afford. The embryos were either destroyed, indefinitely frozen, or given to medical research. But people struggled with this. Depending on who you talk to, embryos are already little babies. They have life. They’ve begun developing. They need a chance to live. 

So, embryo adoption was created to give these little ones a chance. The parents of the embryos sign them over for adoption, giving other infertile couples a chance to experience pregnancy, birth, and children of their own. 

There is great beauty within this process. It allows you to experience pregnancy, protect the child’s beginnings, and give them the most nutritious pregnancy possible. Lord willing, you can experience the opportunity to birth the child(ren), and to raise them as your own. 

Depending on the route you take for this, there are open and closed adoption opportunities. If you go through the hospitals that offer this, I believe most of them are closed adoptions, meaning you don’t have contact with the genetic parents. If you go through agencies like Nighlight or Beginnings (see below), they prefer you do some form of open adoption. This is because your children will have biological siblings somewhere. They believe it is healthiest for your children to have some form of communication with their siblings and medical background. The open adoption could entail simple letters here and there up to visits with the other family.

Have you ever had the passion of saving a life? Has abortion been a heavy burden on your heart? This may be the opportunity God desires for you. Perhaps He’s been planting this seed all along. There’s always a reason for the things you are passionate about. This fertility option is one that allows you to not only hopefully make a life but to save one or more as well. 

I will give you a word of caution to remember that this isn’t a for sure thing. There are still possibilities of miscarriages. There’s also a lot of processing and praying to do. For example, how many children do you and your spouse desire? Try to be matched up with a couple’s embryos that are close or a bit more than what you plan for. Some embryos may not take. But you also don’t want to be left with way more than you are willing to adopt, so pray about it and be reasonable in your decision. 

Another bonus of embryo adoption is that it is the most affordable adoption option. According to Beginnings website, embryo adoption costs approximately $10,000-$15,000. Domestic adoption can cost $20,000-$25,000, and international can cost $50,000. 

There are currently approximately 50,000 frozen embryos in Canada right now. Because this isn’t a popular adoption option, there are lots of babies waiting for development and good homes. Would you pray about it and consider this as an option for your journey? I know all the genetic parents waiting and praying would be grateful as well.

For more information, please check out these websites, depending on where you’re located:

(They also offer other adoption options if interested)

Beginnings Adoption Agency (Canada):

Nightlight Adoption Agency (USA):