What is embryo adoption?
Embryo adoption, also known as embryo donation, is an assisted reproductive treatment that offers the opportunity for many patients to have children. Although it is usually left as a last resort, the truth is that in terms of results it is one of the most infallible methods. This technique consists of thawing and transferring embryos from other couples into the patient’s uterus to help her become a mother. Donor pregnancies have been conceived through IVF or egg donation and have been donated for reproductive purposes.
Which women choose embryo adoption to become pregnant?
Embryo adoption is especially recommended for women or couples who, for different reasons, have ruled out using their own eggs and sperm to achieve pregnancy. In women, it is mostly associated with low oocyte quality at an advanced age, or because they do not have a male partner or the male partner suffers from fertility problems. On the other hand, although less common, it may be due to genetic alterations, repeated miscarriages or failures of in vitro fertilization (IVF), oocyte donation or other assisted reproduction techniques.
Women without a male partner
As we have said, embryo adoption is a recurrent option for women over 40 years of age who do not have a male partner, because being a mother with their own eggs could be complicated, and they also rule out the use of sperm donation for various reasons. Generally, these women have previously attempted pregnancy with artificial insemination or donor sperm, and have not been successful. However, other women use it as a quick pregnancy method when they are 43 or older in order to reduce the risk of miscarriage and anomalies in the future baby. These patients usually want only one pregnancy, which is why they do not mind that there are no frozen embryos left over to have a second pregnancy later on. Likewise, when they do not have a partner, they are more indifferent to the physical resemblance between the donor and themselves. They opt for this treatment for economic reasons.
Genetic diseases
It is also an alternative for couples in which at least one of the two members is a carrier of genetic alterations or diseases that could be transmitted to their future child. Generally, these couples have considered IVF with preimplantation diagnosis before, but it did not work out for them or they could not afford it.
In vitro fertilization failure
Embryo adoption can also be an option to consider for couples with poor prognosis, who have not obtained results using their sperm and oocytes in IVF. In these cases, the existence of a male factor limiting pregnancy is usually suspected.
Refusal of oocyte donation
On the other hand, there are couples who prefer embryo adoption to ovodonation. The reasons may vary, but the most common are psychological or economic problems. Also, from a psychological point of view, some couples prefer that the baby does not have the genetics of either of them in order to feel that it is the child of both. This method is more economical than oocyte donation, which is why couples choose this method.
The emotional side of becoming a mother through embryo adoption
It is of vital importance that before starting an embryo adoption treatment, the mother has emotionally weighed what it means to completely renounce her genetic inheritance in order to have a child. Therefore, psychological work is essential to reduce future problems. In this sense, at URH GarcĂa del Real we offer psychological consultation to all our patients. Our psychologists will guide you and help you decide if this option is the best in your case to become a mother.