embryoadoption

“Pregnant with your adopted child- how does that work?” At first Adrienne thought embryo adoption seemed slightly weird. Then she became fascinated. Now her and Ric’s family is forever changed. Check out their story, then find out more about embryo adoption for yourself: https://www.embryodonation.org/adoption.

Jared & Kristi experienced the heartbreak of several embryo adoption transfers with no success. It made no sense to them. They know, this side of eternity, it never will. Yet there’s so much to learn from this brave NEDC couple. They’re sharing their story to help others, on this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. (Time stamps below) Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. 1:10 Why embryo adoption piqued their interest 3:18 Their experience with the NEDC, which included many ups and downs 8:02 What it was like to process the reality that they weren’t going to have success with embryo adoption 9:45 The hardest part of processing their losses 11:23 Are they still glad they adopted embryos? 15:10 Is the possibility of failure something couples going through embryo adoption should keep in the back of their minds during the whole process? 17:30 How going through embryo adoption affected their relationships with each other and with their children, as well as their faith 19:15 Unpacking their post-embryo adoption foray into foster care 22:52 Is their family-building journey over?

Perry & Sydney went from being told to stop their medications (i.e.: their pregnancy was over)… to holding their miracle daughter. Their journey in between, virtually the whole time, was filled with anxiety. Hear how deeply they were shaped by infertility, and learn from what they did as they struggled to find contentment and a sense of certainty, in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. (time stamps below) Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. :56 Sydney remembers when she was told to stop taking her medications after her frozen embryo transfer (FET), then took a pregnancy test anyway 5:30 What their conversations with the NEDC and its medical partners were like during the time of waiting to see if a pregnancy would be established 7:45 What it was like for Perry to play a support role during this ‘holding our breaths’ situation 11:33 How the rest of the pregnancy went once it was firmly established 16:30 The guilt Sydney felt while lamenting her difficult pregnancy 18:25 What the moment was like when Marlee was born 22:30 What parenting has actually been like compared to what Perry & Sydney expected 26:20 What the relationship with their donor family has been like 27:45 How infertility has changed them 33:20 How God formed Marlee before Perry & Sydney even met 35:45 Is going back to the complicated emotions of infertility helpful or unhelpful?

“All life has value and worth.” Meet Hannah & Eric, and learn how embryo adoption is an extension of what they’ve committed their lives to: caring for the most vulnerable. Then learn more: https://embryodonation.org/adoption

IMPORTANT VIDEO TO WATCH IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT DONATING YOUR EMBRYOS!!! The NEDC's social work partner, Lauren Wilson of Flourish Consulting LLC, reviews some things to consider before you donate your embryos. You'll also hear firsthand in this video about the embryo donation experience from two NEDC donor couples. Below are some of the main considerations you should keep in mind: -It’s recommended you receive psychosocial counseling before or during the embryo donation process. However, the NEDC does not require this to accept your embryos. -You will have to do an FDA-required blood test for STDs as part of the process of donating. -Donating embryos through the NEDC is an efficient though not immediate process, but it is a good & proven process. -Your donated embryos could become siblings with wide variations in age. -You could one day be contacted by children produced from your donor embryos, even if you donate anonymously.

NEDC sisters/history-makers Molly & Emma (frozen 50+ years combined!) were once all over the news. As Molly turns 2 this week, see how they've grown! PLUS: -Parents Ben & Tina once thought they'd never have a baby. If you're thinking about embryo adoption, they have advice for you! -Already an EA/NEDC insider? You'll love catching up with old friends and being amazed at embryo adoption all over again.

“It’s not like God’s just going to drop a check in our lap,” Naomi thought. Then, actually, He did, through some generous friends who -as they handed them the check- told her and Michael, “This is for you to one day hold a baby in your arms.” We’re wrapping up Season Two of The Embryo Adoption Podcast with Michael and Naomi’s encouraging story of the special gift that enabled them to pursue embryo adoption (and now has them holding not just one, but TWO baby boys in their arms!). So much good, insightful stuff here. Some helpful time stamps are below. Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. :40 How their story started when they were little kids, even continuing through Michael’s family's long time away doing missionary work in Turkey 4:14 When they encountered infertility and learned about embryo adoption 8:30 How a generous, unexpected gift from friends enabled them to pursue embryo adoption 10:20 Michael and Naomi’s response to the gift 15:00 How they saw embryo adoption as a ministry, and how plugging into the NEDC brought them into a story bigger than themselves 17:00 What most stood out about their experience with the NEDC 20:00 Their advice for future couples going through the NEDC embryo adoption program 23:20 How they gave birth to twin boys from two different donors originating from the same embryo transfer 24:25 What pregnancy was like and how their sons have changed their lives 28:00 How they chose the boys’ names and what they mean 31:00 How they’ll talk to their sons about embryo adoption

It’s incredibly important for families going through embryo adoption or embryo donation to have a “safe space” where they can connect, ask questions, swap stories, and share information. That’s why the NEDC Embryo Adoption/Donation Group on Facebook is such a blessing. If you’ve walked either route with the NEDC, or are currently in process, you should join! In this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, administrators Bethany Piechowski and Julie Garber take a deep dive into what the group’s all about and how it can make a difference for you. Some helpful time stamps are below: :37 History of the group and how it formed 2:09 Purpose of the group 5:25 How administrators work to make sure only people who meet the criteria are accepted into the group 7:05 Most common topics discussed among members in the group 9:17 How God has worked in beautiful ways through the group 12:30 What the group is not for 14:50 Why it’s important to have a “safe” discussion space outside the official NEDC purview 20:30 How & why administrators of the group maintain a connection to the NEDC Like what you’re hearing? Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Meet John. Now in his 80s, he's been a behind-the-scenes NEDC difference-maker for years. He brightens the place up every time he comes in. We love him. And we think you will, too.

Open embryo adoption can be a beautiful thing. This episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast gives you a firsthand glimpse from both sides of the equation: embryo recipients David & Laura George (so many of you were touched by their family's written story on NEDC social media) and their embryo donors, Gerard & Nicole Straka. Below are some helpful timestamps: 2:00-3:51 What factors were important to adopters David & Laura in the donor selection process 4:04-5:28 How donors Nicole & Gerard’s fertility journey played out 5:51-10:33 Nicole & Gerard on how they agonized over what to do with their frozen embryos, and how a canceled credit card saved their embryos’ chances at life outside the womb. 11:27-16:39 What the mediation process was like for the open adoption 17:20-18:00 What it was like for the donors to see their embryos results in babies born 18:42-22:33 How David & Laura felt when their children were born 23:20-29:15 What their open relationship looks like today 29:53-30:40 What Colt, the donors’ teenage son, thinks of the open adoption relationship Rate, review and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you choose to do an open embryo adoption through the National Embryo Donation Center, how do you work out contact with the family on the other end of the match? The answer: Through something called an Open Donation Agreement, or ODA. Here's your chance to learn all about that. Plus: Why do adopting NEDC families need to have their home studies reviewed? Lauren Wilson and Amy Ferguson from our partners at Flourish Consulting LLC are giving detailed insight into these parts of the process in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. Rate, review and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! Some helpful time stamps are below: :34 What is an ODA and how is it mediated? 1:45 Are ODAs flexible? Can you have more contact than what's spelled out? 4:41 How long does it take to work out an ODA? 6:00 How much does an ODA cost? 8:30 When might it be time to choose a new match? 11:30 How do the two families learn about each other? 13:40 How flexible should families be when matching? 16:05 Reasons why people choose to do open adoption. 19:30 Why do NEDC families need to have their home studies reviewed? 21:20 What are some red flags that could delay approval of a home study? 23:40 Can you still get a home study if you're in transitional housing?

Ben and Nazli wish they would have learned about embryo adoption a decade earlier than they did. It could've saved them a lot of heartache. But they've accepted that God had His reasons for letting the timing of their journey work out as it did. In this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, meet them and their miracle baby Kavi, and benefit from their takeaways about finding hope, wholeness and strength amid the turmoil of infertility. Rate, review and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Embryo adoption is not just an infertility treatment. It's a calling. In this season two kickoff episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, you'll meet Alex and Candice. They chose embryo adoption through the National Embryo Donation Center even though they already had several children and never encountered fertility problems. It's an excellent window into the missional mindset that motivates many of the large, fertile families who choose to do embryo adoption. Rate, review and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

How long does the embryo adoption process take? How soon can I get my first appointment? And how long after that until my frozen embryo transfer? We get these questions all the time. In this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, National Embryo Donation Center team members Christa Carter & Kelley Seymour thoroughly unpack the answers. They also explain variables that can potentially lengthen or shorten the process, and outline some of the factors you can control. Rate, review and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this Season One finale of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, you'll meet Chloe, adopted as an embryo and now 15.5 years old. Find out how she feels about how she came into the world, her advice to other young people adopted as embryos, what she believes her parents did well, and how adoption bonds her with her siblings. Plus Chloe offers a little insight into everyday teenage life and talks about her possible future career plans. You'll love this inspiring and insightful conversation with one of the "older" NEDC kids! Rate, review and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

As they walk the road of embryo adoption, Todd and Glory are being very intentional about selecting embryos less likely to be picked. In this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, learn more about the different types of special consideration embryos available through the National Embryo Donation Center, along with the factors that helped this family make its choice. Glory, who grew up in a missionary family, also explains how this desire to help the most vulnerable took root through the deep impressions formed by what she saw in an overseas orphanage. Rate, review and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Shane & Tanya Dula hoped a bedside prayer on Thanksgiving would mark a turning point in their daughter Raylen’s agonizing struggle for life. These embryo adoption parents share the conclusion of their journey in Part 2 of the new NEDC video “Holding a Miracle.”

“It hurt my heart so much to see her in that condition.” Embryo adoption parents Shane & Tanya Dula recount their daughter Raylen’s long, hard fight to survive. Here’s Part 1 of the new NEDC video “Holding a Miracle.”

NEDC Family, we're inviting your personalized prayers for embryo adoption couple Ken & Yuliya and their extended family in Ukraine. Ken & Yuliya join Mark to share how the war in Ukraine is affecting them and their relatives in this special edition of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. #Ukraine #prayforukraine

Casey unpacks how a Google search led her to embryo adoption, describes the process of transferring a "clump of cells" that are now her 8-year-old son, and shares how her infertility journey has moved her to help lead a mentoring program for women going through crisis pregnancies. Prayerfully consider how you might be able to share your story to help others as you check out this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. Rate, review and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Jeremiah & Carrie felt their hearts being pulled toward embryo adoption. But before taking the leap, they wisely sought counsel from trusted voices who'd already walked the path. In this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, Jeremiah & Carrie unpack their journey, including some of the unique challenges and blessings of adopting embryos as Asian Americans. Plus they have some exciting news to share! Rate, review and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.