Embryo adoption

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Embryo adoption is the adoption of frozen human embryos created through in-vitro fertilization for subsequent frozen embryo transfer (FET) into the adoptive mother's uterus. The mother then gives birth to her adopted child. Such adopted children are called snowflake babies, and, when they get older, snowflake children.

Conservative groups that oppose embryonic stem cell research see embryo adoption as an alternative fate for embryos to ensure that they are not destroyed for such research.

Currently the only adoption agency in the United States that provides this service is Nightlight Christian Adoption. As of 2006, 110 children had been born through Nightlight's program, and 19 more pregnancies were reported.

"Adoption" is only an informal term for this procedure. Since embryos are not considered to be children under the law, they cannot be legally "adopted." Thus, an embryo adoption is legally a transfer of ownership of embryos (ordinarily up to nine embryos are transferred in one adoption because pregnancy may not result with the first attempt). Use of the term adoption is controversial because embryos are not universally considered to be children, nor are they considered so under the law.

Embryo adoption differs from ordinary donation of embryos in that a regular adoption agency performs a homestudy and matches the donor and adoptive families as in an open adoption.

The United States government has supported publicization of embryo adoption with a $1 million grant.