I hope someone has experience of this (in the UK)?
I have several embryos in the freezer following a successful IVF treatment in 2021. I'm not sure whether I'll be trying for a second child yet, but nonetheless I will still have a number of embryos remaining which I need to decide what to do with. I'm considering donating the remaining embryos but have not come across many discussions regarding this topic, or know anyone who has done this.
Has anyone done it? What was the process like? Did you have implications counseling? How do you feel about it today?
TIA!
On the Mumsnet Donor Conception forum, you can discuss sperm and egg donation with people in the same situation.
Donor conception
Embryo donation
anthurium · 25/10/2022 15:13
EdgeOfACoin · 03/11/2022 14:55
I would think very carefully about the emotional impact on any child that came from such a conception.
Can you imagine being raised by non-biological parents, knowing that it was simply a twist of fate - another embryo being selected for implantation in your biological mother first - that meant you did not grow up with your biological parents?
Maybe it won't matter to the child. However, for a lot of children it might be a rather distressing thought.
EdgeOfACoin · 03/11/2022 14:55
I would think very carefully about the emotional impact on any child that came from such a conception.
Can you imagine being raised by non-biological parents, knowing that it was simply a twist of fate - another embryo being selected for implantation in your biological mother first - that meant you did not grow up with your biological parents?
Maybe it won't matter to the child. However, for a lot of children it might be a rather distressing thought.
ASGIRC · 03/11/2022 18:02
That's really rather offensive to anyone who has ever adopted a child.
Or to any person who has been lovingly adopted and had a whole family when otherwise they would have had none.
Biological doesn't mean love. There is no biological connection. The connection comes from bonding.
A child conceived from a donated embryo would bond with the parents that carried and loved that child!
EdgeOfACoin · 03/11/2022 14:55
I would think very carefully about the emotional impact on any child that came from such a conception.
Can you imagine being raised by non-biological parents, knowing that it was simply a twist of fate - another embryo being selected for implantation in your biological mother first - that meant you did not grow up with your biological parents?
Maybe it won't matter to the child. However, for a lot of children it might be a rather distressing thought.
EdgeOfACoin · 03/11/2022 18:19
There's a lot of understanding about the impact of adoption on adopted children. I think in future there will need to be similar understanding of donor-conceived children.
For example, here is the story of a girl born through embryo donation:
closeronline.co.uk/real-life/news/donor-ivf-baby-shockingly-reveals-wish-d-never-born-hate-knowing-came/
I'm not sure why cautioning someone to think about the potential impact on any child conceived in this manner is 'offensive'.
ASGIRC · 03/11/2022 18:02
That's really rather offensive to anyone who has ever adopted a child.
Or to any person who has been lovingly adopted and had a whole family when otherwise they would have had none.
Biological doesn't mean love. There is no biological connection. The connection comes from bonding.
A child conceived from a donated embryo would bond with the parents that carried and loved that child!
EdgeOfACoin · 03/11/2022 14:55
I would think very carefully about the emotional impact on any child that came from such a conception.
Can you imagine being raised by non-biological parents, knowing that it was simply a twist of fate - another embryo being selected for implantation in your biological mother first - that meant you did not grow up with your biological parents?
Maybe it won't matter to the child. However, for a lot of children it might be a rather distressing thought.
EdgeOfACoin · 03/11/2022 14:55
I would think very carefully about the emotional impact on any child that came from such a conception.
Can you imagine being raised by non-biological parents, knowing that it was simply a twist of fate - another embryo being selected for implantation in your biological mother first - that meant you did not grow up with your biological parents?
Maybe it won't matter to the child. However, for a lot of children it might be a rather distressing thought.
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