Can I Adopt an Embryo? Your Embryo Adoption Questions Answered

Embryo adoption is the perfect middle ground between traditional adoption and IVF for many couples who are unable to conceive, but what is it? 

If you want to adopt an embryo, the process is similar to sperm or egg donation, except the egg is already fertilised. This means that the adoptive mother is able to carry and give birth to the child. If both adoptive parents are infertile, this is the only way they can have a child outside of the traditional adoption route or surrogacy. 

Clearly, the benefits of embryo adoption can’t be overstated. That said, it’s not a term we speak of a lot. 

Because of this, we’re going to discuss everything you need to know to adopt an embryo in this post. This will include what it is, how it’s done, the success rate and the cost, so take a look… 

What is ‘Embryo Adoption’ and Can You Get it in the UK? 

In the UK, embryo adoption is widely referred to as embryo donation. It refers to the process of donating or receiving an embryo to be implanted in the adoptive mother’s womb. 

Embryo adoption is not the legal term for the donation or receiving of an embryo from a donor. However, many people refer to it that way because it’s the equivalent of adopting a child, except the adoptive mother carries the child and gives birth to it herself. 

Embryo adoption takes place when a woman has frozen embryos for future use, but has had all her children and no longer needs them. Instead of these embryos being destroyed, they can be donated to a couple who aren’t able to produce their own. 

As mentioned above, this means that the woman receiving the embryo can actually go through the stages of pregnancy with the child. This is a preferred choice over traditional adoption for many women, as it provides that hormonal link. 

The donor-received child is legally considered the child of the woman who gives birth to it, and her husband or civil partner. The donor parents have no parental rights over a child born from their donation 

However, a change in the law in 2005 made it the child’s legal right to ask for their donor’s name when they turn 18. It’s up to the donor whether they want to remain in contact with the child.  

For all intents and purposes, to adopt an embryo is to have a child in the most traditional way possible. 

How Does Embryo Adoption Work? 

So how exactly does this biological process work? As we said in the intro to this post, to adopt an embryo you follow the same principles as receiving a sperm or egg donation. The embryos are usually kept in storage for up to 10 years and are offered up for donation by the couple who froze them. 

You can find couples who are donating their embryos by searching for clinics that offer the service. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)’s website is a good place to find clinics in your local area. 

If you’re successful in your search, and become the recipient of embryo adoption, your doctor will transfer one or two of the donated embryos into your womb with a thin catheter. The doctor has to make a judgement call on how many embryos to implant at once, because even two embryos can risk you have a multiple pregnancy. They will have to weigh the chance of success against the risk of numerous babies coming to term.   

If everything goes according to plan, the embryos will stick to your uterine wall and continue to grow. Taking a pregnancy test two weeks after the implantation of the embryo will tell you whether it’s been successful or not. 

The clinic that performs this work will monitor you carefully from this point on to make sure there are no issues and you come out with a healthy, happy baby after nine months.  

Adopting an Embryo FAQs 

 Now we what embryo adoption is and how it works, it’s time to look at how to adopt an embryo, what the success rate is and how much it could set you back. 

How Long Does Embryo Adoption Take? 

We mentioned above that you are able to find a clinic through the HFEA website, but it’s not as easy as contacting a clinic and instantly having the embryo implanted. 

The waiting lists for receiving an embryo donation can be quite long, especially if there are lots of other people in your area waiting for the call. If you want to shorten the wait, advertising for an embryo donor yourself can help. 

What’s the Success Rate? 

Once treatment begins, one cycle of IVF takes between four weeks and six weeks to complete. With both egg donation and embryo donation, the success rate is around 30 percent, which means you might need multiple procedures before you become pregnant. 

The percentage of babies born per IVF cycle in 2013, were: 

• 30 per cent using fresh or frozen embryos from donor eggs and donor sperm. 
• 32 per cent using fresh embryos from donor eggs and partner sperm. 
• 35 per cent as a result of egg sharing. 

How Much Does it Cost to Adopt an Embryo? 

Thankfully, in the UK it’s illegal to pay a donor anything other than expenses. This means most donors are involved in embryo adoption because they actually care, not for financial gain. 

The limit for expenses is £35 for sperm and embryo donors, and £750 for egg donors, so embryo donation is actually cheaper than egg donation.  

The only thing that will cost you money is going through a private clinic, which is very likely with this type of procedure. You might have to pay for screening tests, counselling fees, ultrasound scans, the transfer and implantation of the embryos, etc.  

All in all, to adopt an embryo it can reach the cost of £5000. So, it’s definitely a good idea to make sure you can afford this treatment before you decide to undergo it. 

 Is There Anyone Who Can Help You Adopt an Embryo? 

Before we end this post, we’re going to quickly list some places that can offer you advice and help with embryo adoption. 

Charities 

There are a number of charities who offer information and advice for people looking to either donate or receive embryo donations, including: 

• The Seed Trust 
• The Donor Conception Network 
• Fertility Network UK 

Solicitors 

As much as we’ve done our best to explain the rules of adopting an embryo, they can be quite complicated. So, seeking advice from a specialist family solicitor can really help.  

The laws around parenthood and children who are born through fertility treatment is complex, and the rules differ depending on: 

• Whether the treatment happened via a licensed Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority clinic or a private arrangement. 
• The marital status of the parents. 
• Whether sufficient consent was given to the treatment. 

Before you go through embryo adoption, make sure you’re aware of the law so you are 100 percent sure you’ll be the legal guardian of the child you adopt. 

Is That Everything You Need to Know? 

In this post, we’ve discussed what embryo adoption is and how it all works. We’ve then looked at how long it takes to adopt an embryo, the success rate, the cost, and the institutions that can help you through the process.   

There’s always more information to be found, but this should be enough to start you on your journey, and the rest you’ll learn along the way. 

Thank you for reading this post, and good look with your embryo adoption!

* Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained medical professional. Be sure to consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you’re seeking medical or mental health advice, diagnoses, or treatment. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.