The genetic family wants to select who will adopt their embryos and know the outcome of the adoption and transfer. They are reassured that embryo adoption provides the same safeguards that the traditional adoption process offers. The genetic family knows the adoptive family has been screened for a criminal history and child abuse record, and received education about how to parent an adopted child. They have the peace of mind of having handpicked a family for these children. They also have the opportunity to have contact with the adopting family to whatever extent both families are comfortable.

You must have a completed home study. This is the same home study used to evaluate and educate adopting parents in traditional domestic adoptions. The adopting mother must also be able to carry a child to term. Your doctor will be asked to complete a form stating that there are no contraindications to pregnancy.

It is a mutual selection matching process. Both genetic and adopting families provide information about themselves that indicates what type of family they are looking for. When Nightlight has an adopting family on file who matches those criteria, their family profile is sent to the genetic family for consideration/selection. If the adopting family is selected by the genetic family, the genetic family’s family profile and medical information are sent to the adopting family for consideration/selection.

Adoptive parents receive a family profile including some autobiographical information and generally a few pictures. You also receive three generations of medical health history on the genetic family, as well as information about the embryos. If an egg donor or sperm donor was used, you will receive any information the genetic parents received when they selected their donor. This may include autobiographical information, health information, and possibly pictures.

The purpose of open adoption is to provide security for your child as they grow and begin to ask questions about their heritage and genetic origins. It provides answers for them, minimizing their loss of relationships by maintaining and celebrating their connections with all the important people in his or her life (especially in an embryo adoption where your child likely has full genetic siblings). It also serves to provide comfort and encourage the genetic family with the knowledge that they have chosen a family for their embryos and will know the outcome of the adoption.

Genetic parents differ from a “typical” traditional birthparent in several ways. A woman placing her child for adoption may be unprepared for the emotions she will feel upon her child’s birth and therefore may choose to parent her baby. In an embryo adoption, the genetic parents are typically older, have a family, have been through the infertility process, understand the demands of parenting a child(ren), and fully understand that they cannot emotionally and/or financially add additional children to their family. Most genetic families have had time to contemplate their options while their embryos are in storage before they begin the adoption process.

Embryos are shipped to your clinic after you are matched, the adoption agreement and relinquishments are signed, and we have made sure that all the requirements of the clinic, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and of the state into which they are being transferred have been met.

Most likely, yes! The embryos may have a better chance at survival if they are thawed by the same clinic which initially froze them. If you are interested in traveling to your embryos, Nightlight can help you explore that option and coordinate with the clinic.

If you have do not achieve a pregnancy and give birth to your child(ren) after thawing and/or transferring all of the embryos you adopted from your match you can choose to be matched with a new genetic family for a reduced fee. If none of your embryos survive after being thawed, you will be matched again without additional fees. Alternatively, you may use/update your home study to pursue a domestic or international adoption.

One post adoption report is required six weeks after your baby is born. In addition, pictures and updates of your child(ren) are required three additional times during the first year, and once a year thereafter. This correspondence should be separate from the information you share with your genetic family and serves as our way of knowing your child is healthy and happy, and can help us identify and provide you with any additional services or referrals, as needed.

If, after prayer, you and your spouse, feel that the Snowflakes Embryo Adoption Program is where God is directing you then you should choose Nightlight Christian Adoptions.