For National Infertility Awareness Week, a New Option for Families and Reproductive Professionals

DENVER, April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- National Infertility Awareness Week (April 23-29) raises attention to the struggles of families suffering infertility, and to the generous families who donated remaining embryos after their own in-vitro fertilization (IVF) journeys, resulting in more than 860 donated-embryo babies born in the United States in 2018.  These families gave their own embryos to allow women to experience pregnancy and childbirth, and, in the process, created a lifelong bond through their biologically connected children. 

Per national fertility statistics from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), about 1,900 families in the United States received donated embryos to have a baby in 2017 alone.  The practice of using donated embryos dramatically increases pregnancy success rates, which average 40% for donated embryos vs. only 7% using a woman's own eggs over age 40, and costs significantly less than alternatives - two factors inspiring intended parents to ask fertility clinics about the option.

This little-known form of conception available since 1998 wouldn't be possible without the generosity of families who opt to give the unique and lifelong gift of their own embryos to others who were unsuccessful in their reproductive medicine journey. 

Embryo donation is growing by 20% (SART 3-year average), 8 points higher than any other IVF method.  One reason is the choices that families can now make in their donation.  Historically, an embryo donor family could only donate anonymously, never knowing if a child was born with their genetics, or to whom.  Now families can opt to have an open or semi-open relationship with a receiving family to support healthy child development and connection in both families.  They also can find a family with whom they would like to have that kind of lifelong bond. 

Deb Roberts, Founder and CEO of the Denver-based national embryo donation service, Embryo Connections, and embryo recipient-mom herself, works with clinics and individuals to facilitate these new arrangements. She sees donors contemplating the types of relationships they're comfortable forming, and seeking families with similar values, upbringing, or even hobbies and activities.  "Whether they share contact information or remain anonymous, many donors want to feel connected with their recipient family," said Roberts, "and they feel a sense of responsibility for these potential children, to make their best effort to find a home that feels compatible."  Other donors simply want their embryo siblings to stay together.

Still, SART national fertility statistics suggest that 1.3 million embryos remain in cryo-storage indefinitely, waiting for complete families to decide what to do with their frozen "embabies."  Many of these successful families are unaware of the option to donate, and even fewer know they can influence the choices that are made about placement of their embryos.  Those families who do choose to donate find logistical hurdles they are not equipped to overcome without support to help them through the process. 

For more information about this promising new fertility option, consumers and medical professionals may visit www.embryoconnections.org.

About Embryo Connections
Embryo Connections is a concierge embryo donation agency dedicated to transforming the journey to parenthood by making embryo donation accessible to all who want a child to love. Through the concierge donation model, donors and recipients can own their destiny, and Embryo Connections takes on the burden of the process, so that they can devote their energy towards enjoying life and loved ones.

Contact: Deb Roberts
Title: Founder & CEO, Recipient Mom
Phone: 303-903-0433
Email: [email protected] 
URL: www.embryoconnections.org 
Please contact Deb Roberts for details, including personal stories of embryo donation

SOURCE Embryo Connections