|
|
|
|
 |
 |
Frequently asked questions for Donating Couples
History and expertise
Bethany Christian Services is a Christ-centered, pro-life, adoption and family services agency with more than 75 locations in over 30 states and ministries in more than a dozen countries. Bethany is the nation’s leader in adoption services, placing nearly 2,000 domestic and international children into families each year. Bethany was founded in 1944 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
 Bethany is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) adoption agency and is nationally accredited by, or a member of, the following organizations:
Council on Accreditation for Agencies for Families and Children (COA)
The Child Welfare League of America
The National Council for Adoption
The North American Council on Adoptable Children
The Joint Council on International Children’s Services
The Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability
We understand the infertility journey
For more many decades, Bethany has provided support, comfort, and family-building options for couples facing infertility. We understand the heartache of failed pregnancy, the uncertainty related to family-building decisions, and the joy that follows parenthood—whether through adoption or medical intervention. We are also aware that specialized medical interventions can result in both joy and unintended dilemmas.
Experiencing the unexpected
When couples choose the option of IVF and embryo cryopreservation, sometimes more embryos are created than the couple is able to use to build their family. While each embryo was lovingly created with the intention of being used, couples who experience pregnancy and birth may find that they have completed their family prior to using all of their embryos. Deciding what to do with additional embryos is a dilemma that many couples face.
You are not alone
One in five couples experience some form of infertility. As a result of modern reproductive technology, there are an estimated 400,000 embryos living in a frozen or cryopreservation state in medical labs and clinics across the United States. What options do couples have for their waiting embryos? Currently, there are four choices:
Destroying the embryo
Submitting the embryo for medical research
Storing the embryo indefinitely or until a final decision is reached
Donating the embryo for adoption
Embryo Donation
Why consider embryo donation?
Donation and adoption offer the chance for life, hope, and a family for the embryo. For the donating couple, there is the satisfaction of choosing a life-affirming option and the joy from helping an infertile couple potentially achieve the miracle of becoming parents.
What are the advantages for donors choosing bethany?
Donors who choose Bethany will:
Receive individualized support from expertly trained and credentialed professionals who specialize in infertility treatment counseling and embryo donation, release, and adoption.
Receive a full range of options related to choosing the adoptive couple, choosing characteristics of the adoptive couple, and deciding what, if any, “level of openness” they want with the adoptive couple.
Have peace of mind knowing that the adoptive family has undergone a rigorous Home Study that includes written references, personal visits to assess the home, individual interviews, joint couple interviews, and screening of financial stability, emotional stability, and readiness to parent. In addition, the family has been screened for a criminal history/child abuse record and has received education about parenting an adoptee.
Be able to select the adoptive couple and be notified about whether children are born as a result of the process.
Receive legal and relationship support throughout the process.
Can donors select the adoptive family?
Yes. Unlike many medical practices that offer embryo donation, Bethany allows a full array of choices from confidential to totally open adoption. Donors may select a family based on preferred characteristics or they may choose the adoptive family from non-identifying family profiles. Bethany follows a policy of disclosure, which includes providing the donors with a written profile of the adoptive family that may or may not include identifying information, based on family preferences.
Can donors choose to remain anonymous?
Yes, Bethany offers a full range of openness and relationship options, with the donors’ preference taking first priority. Donors may choose an adoptive family that meets their preferences.
What is the “full range of openness and relationship options” mentioned above?
In all cases, the adoptive family will receive a written report outlining the donor family’s medical, educational, and social history. However, names, addresses and other types of identifying information won't be included.
Some donors will prefer that level of anonymity. Other donors will want to share pictures of themselves with the adoptive family. Some donors may feel comfortable sharing an
e-mail address or talking by phone with the adoptive family. And still other donors will want to meet the adoptive family in person.
Over time, some families may be most interested in having ongoing contact with the adoptive family. Some may prefer that the ongoing contact continue on through a third party. Because each donor—and each adoptive parent—will have different preferences and needs, Bethany offers families the same range of openness and anonymity choices that we make available through our traditional adoption programs.
Is there a cost to donate your embryos?
The donating couple has no costs. Adoptive parents pay for all expenses associated with blood work and medical testing that may be required by the FDA, necessary medical consultation, and the embryo(s) transfer to the adopting family’s medical facility. Adoptive families may also pay for any laboratory storage fees that may occur between the time the donation application was accepted and the release of the embryos for adoption.
Do donors receive any payments for their embryos?
No. However, donors may be reimbursed for any costs incurred related to blood work that may be required of the donors prior to donation. Donors may also be reimbursed for laboratory storage costs between the time of the donation application acceptance and the matching and physical transfer of the embryos to the adoptive family’s medical facility or care.
Does Bethany place limits on accepting embryos for donation based on the length of time that they have remained frozen?
Healthy children have been born from embryos that were frozen for more than 12 years. Bethany accepts embryos for donation regardless of how long they have been in a cyropreserved state.
Does Bethany limit the embryos accepted for donation based on their medical grading status or the stage of their development?
Based on the experience of the medical teams with which Bethany works, embryos of different stages, ages, and grades have resulted in successful pregnancies and healthy births. Therefore, Bethany accepts all donated embryos regardless of age, medical grading status, or stage of development. Bethany will attempt to locate an adoptive family for every embryo, regardless of potential or known health status. During the selection process, Bethany discloses to potential adoptive families any known information regarding the embryos’ health, grading, or stage status.
What if donor sperm or donor eggs were used to create the embryos?
Bethany accepts embryos created with donor sperm and/or eggs. Certain medical requirements may be required to safeguard against communicable diseases. Blood testing and/or records of such testing related to a donor may be required before an adoption can occur. Bethany follows a disclosure policy regarding the information that is provided to the adoptive family and related to the genetic and medical history of the embryo(s).
What is the chance of a pregnancy occurring following donation?
Typically, there is a 20 to 35% chance of pregnancy occurring per cycle attempt. As with other ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) procedures, there is a higher incidence of a multiple pregnancy. Donors may request that they be informed about the results of a donation.
How likely is it for genetically related children to unknowingly meet and marry?
Statistically, the odds of this situation occurring are very small. However, some donors request that the embryos be placed with an adoptive family that resides in another part of the country.
The Adoptive Couple
Why might a couple want to adopt an embryo?
Couples who have experienced infertility are often anxious to experience the miracle of pregnancy and birth, something not possible in other forms of adoption. Further, couples look forward to the opportunity to begin the bonding process while the baby is in utero, which allows them to nurture, protect, and safeguard the baby’s physical and developmental environment during pregnancy. For some couples, there is peace of mind in knowing that the release decision has been made and finalized prior to the donation and adoption transfer. With traditional infant adoption, a birthmother may make an adoption plan but change her mind after the birth of her child.
Do couples have to be infertile to adopt embryos through bethany?
At this time, Bethany is working with medical centers that require an adopting family to have an infertility diagnosis prior to being approved for the adoption of an embryo.
Can single women adopt an embryo through bethany?
Bethany is working with medical centers whose policies are to medically transfer embryos to married couples. Other centers and agencies may have differing policies, and Bethany will make referrals to those centers when we are aware of them.
What will happen to the embryos if they are not all used by the adoptive family?
In their informed consent agreement, adoptive couples acknowledge that it is their intent to use the donated embryos for no other purpose than attempting to achieve a pregnancy. They also affirm that it is their intention not to eliminate, harm, or reduce the number of embryos they adopt, whether the embryos are in a state of cryopreservation or developing during pregnancy. If it is not possible to medically transfer any or all of the embryos in an attempt to achieve a pregnancy—for medical or other reasons—then the adoptive family will make arrangements through Bethany to donate the embryos to another adoptive family (or families) attempting to achieve a pregnancy.
How are adoptive families screened prior to adoption?
Applicants are thoroughly screened just as they would be for a more traditional infant adoption. Donating families also complete a profile for the benefit of the adopting families. (See “Advantages” question above.)
THE LAW
Does adoption law apply to embryo donation and adoption?
No. Adoption law applies only to the release and adoption of a child following birth.
Legally, what is involved in the donation of an embryo for adoption?
Embryo donation and adoption is governed by contract law and all federal, state, and local laws as may apply. In addition, regulations by the United States Food and Drug Administration related to human tissue donation are applicable. A contract is signed and notarized by the donating couple authorizing the donation and adoption. Once the Informed Consent Agreement Regarding Donation has been signed, the donors have no legal claim to either the embryo(s) or any future children who may be born as a result of the donation, nor do they hold any responsibility for the embryos or any future children who may be born as the result of the donation.
Are there any state or federal laws regulating embryo donation and adoption?
At present, the Food and Drug Administration has implemented mandates that are meant to protect the spread of communicable disease as the result of donated human tissue, including that found within embryo donation and adoption. In addition, some states have restrictions related to the transfer of embryos from one state to another. Contract law is used to govern embryo donation and adoption at the present time.
Can donors change their minds once they have signed the release agreement?
No. The Informed Consent Agreement Regarding Donation is legally binding at the time the release is signed, and all rights are forever relinquished.
Do donors have any rights or responsibilities to children born following a donation?
No. Once the release is signed, the donors hold no responsibility for the embryos or any children who may be born as a result of their donation.
Legally, what is the relationship between the adoptive parent and any child(ren) who are born following embryo donation?
At the time of birth, the adoptive couple is fully recognized as the legal parent to any children who are born. The mother who physically gives birth is recognized as the child(ren)’s legal mother and the man to whom she is married at the time of pregnancy and birth is recognized as the legal father of the child(ren). These individuals are noted as the legal mother and legal father on the child(ren)’s birth certificate.
THE DONATION PROCESS
How long does the donation process take?
The process may take weeks to several months, depending on the needs and preferences of the donors.
What medical testing may be required of the donating couple?
The FDA requires blood testing to screen and prevent the possible spread of any potential communicable disease. The required blood testing may include: antibodies to HIV I and HIV II; antibodies to HTLV I and II; Hepatitis, HbsAG, antibodies to hepatitis B and C; E core antibody; Syphilis, VDRL and/or FTA; blood type; and Rh factor. Additional testing may be deemed medically necessary by the adopting or donating couple’s medical doctor.
Why is a donor profile requested?
A donor profile provides non-identifying information (unless direct openness is agreed to) related to the donors’ social, educational, professional, medical, and family history. It includes information related to gifts and talents, and physical (i.e., hair and eye color) and personality characteristics. This information is helpful for both the adoptive parents and (in the future) for any child who is born because it provides a thorough genetic history.
Is it possible for donors to write a letter to either the adoptive couple and/ or any future child(ren) who may be born?
A personalized letter is always welcome and helpful. It allows the donors to share information about why they chose to make a donation decision. Because most donation decisions involve a deep sense of care and feelings of love for the child, letters offer an opportunity to address current and possible future questions. As with traditional infant adoption, letters received from a birthparent are often highly valued and deeply appreciated by both adoptive parents and (later) the adoptee.
How are the embryos sent to the adoptive parents’ medical clinic?
Upon legal release, the embryos are shipped directly from their storage facility to the medical facility of the adoptive parents. The embryos are shipped in a dry shipper, which consists of a tank filled with liquid nitrogen that keeps the embryos frozen during transportation.
What is the process for donating embryos through Bethany?
- Bethany’s embryo services specialist contacts you and is available at any time throughout the process to answer questions, provide consultation, and any counseling that may be necessary or requested.
- You complete a donor profile and medical information application form.
- Bethany arranges for any blood tests that may be needed (at no cost to you). Contact with your fertility clinic is completed following your signature requesting the release of your medical records and the results of all infectious disease blood tests. If sperm or egg donations were used to create the embryos, copies of contracts for such are gathered, as are the infectious disease screens for those donors.
- A donor family profile is completed. You will be invited to include any pictures of your family and letters to the adoptive family and/or to any future children as part of this profile. Bethany will provide assistance as you prepare and complete this profile.
- You will determine the adoptive family characteristics or preferences you may require. You will also be asked to decide if you would like any open contact or exchange of information with the family after the adoption.
- Next, with input from both you and the adoptive parents, the selection process occurs.
- As donors, you will be offered adoptive parent profiles to review, which meet your stated preferences.
- After the adoptive family has been tentatively selected, they will receive a donor profile. If the adoptive family also accepts, the donation and adoption will be facilitated.
- Bethany helps make arrangements for the transfer of your donated embryos and provides the donation/legal release forms. You sign release paperwork provided by their medical clinic, authorizing the release of the embryos to the adoptive family’s medical clinic.
- You sign a contract releasing your embryos for adoption by the adoptive family.
- Your rights to the embryos are ended at that time. Bethany works with the medical facilities to transfer the embryos.
- Bethany provides you with updates, as agreed to, during the course of the pregnancy and birth.
- Support and referrals for ongoing services are available to you at any time.
Donation support services
The release of embryos for donation and adoption can be emotionally difficult.
Bethany understands the issues and feelings donors may face in making this important decision. For that reason, we offer the following types of support for donating couples:
For more information PLEASE CONTACT BETHANY:
Phone: 616.574.7939
Fax: 616.224.7611
E-mail: embryoservices@bethany.org
|
|
|