Are frozen embryos really in need of adoptive homes?

NO.

That would be making babies for the sake of adult needs and desires.

Instead - children that are without homes - you know - the living breathing talking children - waiting for adoption from foster care- are the real one's that need adoptive homes.

But too many worry about their own selfish desires instead of actually helping children in need - hey?!

This is one of those things I'm on the fence about.

I appreciate the "life begins at conception" argument, but we don't put the same value on an embryo that we do on a newborn baby. If a building was burning down and I could save either the newborn infant or the cannister of frozen embryos, I'd save the baby. I don't think anyone would do otherwise.

That said, having gone through the whole infertility bit, I also appreciate the fact that an embryo does have its own intrinsic value, even if not on the same scale as a living, breathing infant.

Still, embryo adoptions is one of those things where our technology has exceeded society's grasp. Like many other moral/ethical issues in medicine, we really don't know the ramifications of this. The children in the world now, due to embryo adoption, are really too young to voice their experiences. We may have to wait another 10-20 years before we get a "first hand" report.

When we did IVF, we ended up with only two semi-viable embryos, neither of which survived. So, it wasn't an issue for us. But I also remember that we were given the option of having the embryos stored indefinitely, not just for 5 years.

As far as stem cell research goes, the use of embryonic cells is fraught with moral implications. If someone truly believes that life begins at conception, suggesting that they turn over leftover embryos for research is pretty ghoulish! Whether you agree with their position or not, it's important to have enough respect for someone to not pressure them into something they find morally reprehensible.

My biggest concern is not with the embryos themselves, but with the precedent it sets. If the embryos are seen to be in need of adoption that denotes personhood status. That endangers Roe v Wade. Further, it establishes a precedent that increases the likelihood of making prebirth surrenders enforceable. Nothing is a stand alone event. All things are connected and it is no different in adoption. We have to be very cautious in our reaction to things that on the surface sound wonderful, but when they are looked at more closely, are really dangerous.

It really depends on your view concerning embryos.

If you see an embryo as just a clump of cells, then no, because if the embryo is lifeless then it doesn't need anything, and a couple wouldn't feel bad disposing of it or donating it to medical research.

however, if you view an embryo as a baby in the very early stages of development, then yes, for many "unused" embryos adoption is their only change to continue development and be born.

I think my views lie somewhere inbetween, and I'm just glad that's a decission I've never had to make.

Dear Julie,

I agree with the majority of the other posters.

I don't think so. Embryos are not "alive" to need things! They are FROZEN - they do not NEED homes, food, hugs, love, etc. unless they are UNFROZEN and brought to term. Frozen embryos are NOT like the thousands of children who are free for adoption, languishing in foster care who DO need homes. Those kids are living, breathing; and more importantly, AWARE of what they don't have - frozen embryos have no cognitive thoughts or feelings.

Embryos are STORED in CRYOBANKS - not CARED FOR in orphanages, children's/group homes or foster arrangements. They are referred to as EMBRYOS - not CHILDREN.

It amazes me that people can show so much interest and concern for EMBRYOS but not for abused and neglected children. When people adopt all the kids in foster care who NEED homes, then maybe I'll be more concerned with people who insist that embryos (which aren't theirs) "need saving".

PS I think it is great that some people generously donate their unused biological material (be it embryos, bodies, etc.) for ethical research. These people help offer hope for the future of medicine and scientific advancement that could save lives (of the actual living). I know there are some who disagree but having lost my father to MS and seeing the suffering of others, I don't see how people can ignore the hope and possibilities that this deep and sometimes emotionally difficult generosity offers. Who knows - it could help discover the cure for infertility!

One thing people forget. When a couple decide to no longer pursue IVF the embryos are destroyed. Or they can only be stored for a period of about five years. Some women can have as many as ten frozen embryos. But it took only four for them to be successful. what happens to the rest? When I went through IVF the developed cells were split into four. So that's the general ratio.

The only time i agree with someone other than the biological parents to use the embryos is if the couple fully consented to it. I do feel a child born to another couple will like some adoptee's want to know who they are. For this reason it has to be treated with the same respect when a child comes into the world. That's IF its successful. There are no guarantee's IVF will work anyway. People forget that too. (We did it because we felt that's what family wanted us to do. We adopted our kids because that's what we wanted to do.)

Like some one here said (with lots of TD's) that depends on when you believe life begins. The pro- lifers believe life begins at conception and those embryos should have a chance at life.

Well i've always been a person who sits on the fence regarding issue on pro-life and pro-choice. I don't believe life begins at conception though.

So when i made one go at IVF and had a bunch of extra embryos .Our clinic made us sign a form on what was to be done with the rest. 1) Storage 2) Donation 3) donate to medical science.

We decided we were not keen on repeating any more IVF cycles and soon after we planned to follow the adoption route (ya sure this is the point i'll get thumbed down. LOL !!)

The idea of donating my embryo to another couple, and the picture flashed in my head. My child could be an adoptee ,not growing up with me. So nope. I decided to donate mine to science .

No, I don't think so. I think embryo adoption is intentionally creating an adoptee and that is wrong. However, I've come to understand that there are a lot of people who truly believe that an embryo, potential life, deserves a chance to be realized. They are truly upset by embryos being used for stem cell research or being discarded if "left over" from IVF treatments. I've come to respect that position as valid, even if I don't agree with it. Personally, I would like people to concentrate on poverty, hunger, and preemptive war as right to life issues.

wow..this one is sooo very hard for me

I believe those embryos are tiny human beings. I believe life begins at conception.

If I look at it from my own heart...if i had gone that route...

my wonderful, beautiful, intelligent son would be a science project or in the trash somewhere...

SO...I don't know what to do with the leftover babies...I don't think dr's should be allowed to MAKE so many.

in NEED, errr... probably not. Simply because there are many many other children MORE in need of adoption.

But I DO believe life begins at conception, so I respect someone's desire to try to let all their fertilized embryo's be brought to term.

If allowing someone else to adopt their left over embryos is what their firstparents WANT, and someone else wants a child... I don't think we should judge either party for making those decisions.

Yes, the adoptive parents in these cases should still recieve education on the issues their child may go through. There should still be NO anonymity, and the chance for the child to connect with his/her firstparents, if desired.

it's not something that should be done lightly, without considering all the angles..

No, there are no thoughts, feelings, or actions made by them, they are not being abused or neglected, and they are not even humans yet, just a clump of cells suspended in time that have the POTENTIAL to become humans. There are actual thinking, feeling, acting humans that need homes,

AND

They could do WONDERFUL things if they were donated to stem cell research