Embryo Adoption is NOT Selling Humans!!!

[IdaBriggs]

I *HATE* that the smug self righteous SOB is using people going through the trauma of infertility to attempt to score stupid political points!!! Since people who haven't undergone some of these procedures don't always know what's involved (and I've been dealing with infertility issues for nearly two decades), let me walk you folks through some of the basics --

a) Fertility Drugs are Step 1 for most people. Depending on the problem, they may or may not be effective. Varying levels of intervention can occur at this point, up to and including --

b) In Vitro Fertilization, which involves giving a woman drugs to increase her egg production, then surgically "collecting" the eggs, mixing them with sperm in a little petri dish, growing them for anywhere from two to five days, and then transferring them back into a nice fluffy uterus.

c) For those who do not produce either egg or sperm, "donor egg" and "donor sperm" are available. You do not PAY for the eggs or the sperm; donors receive a fee to compensate them for the time and trouble they go to, and it varies depending on the person and the clinic. The fee (usually several thousand dollars) is barely adequate when you realize the donors need to visit the clinic an unbelievably large number of times, take drugs that mess with them mentally and emotionally, and undergo a common (but still dangerous) operation. The men and women who do this do are giving A GIFT -- the opportunity to have children -- to others, and it is valued and appreciated by the recipients more than those who have never had to go through the heartbreak of these procedures will EVER understand.

d) When doing an IVF or Donor Egg procedure, usually anywhere from twelve to twenty eggs are collected, with an average fertilization rate of 70%, meaning there are usually (but not always) some "leftover" embryos because no reputable clinic will transfer more than a few embryos per attempt.

After undergoing all of this, a decision has to be made about what to do with the "extra embryos" (if there are any left). You see, "fresh" transfers usually have an average 60-70% "have a baby" success rate (depending on the clinic), while "frozen" transfers average about 35%, so you want some "extras" for additional attempts in case it doesn't work, but at the same time, if you are lucky enough to get twins (for example), then you might want to "be done." This decision is one of THE HARDEST a couple going through infertility treatments has to make: you can pay about $500 per year in storage fees until they get "freezer burned" to the point where they aren't any good, or you can request to have them destroyed, or you can donate them to other couples via Embryo Adoption, or YOU USED TO BE ABLE to donate them for medical research until ASSWIPE decided that he needed to start making decisions for everyone else on the planet....

Personally, I blame Reagan for the expense of infertility treatments. You see, he decided he didn't want people "playing God" so he wouldn't allow federal funding for infertility research, which policy George Senior continued. One of the first things Clinton did was revoke that stupid policy, which meant that the first (unsuccessful) attempt my husband and I made to get pregnant cost us about $18,000 while last year's attempt was only about $7,000 --

For those who are willing to donate their embryos, I say THREE CHEERS! I also understand why not everyone is willing to do so; not everyone is comfortable with the idea of someone else raising their biological offspring. These are difficult decisions, and I beg each of you to use compassion when addressing these issues. The Snowflakes are good people, and ASSWIPE using them for his political purposes (just like he does when he visits elementary schools) is NOT a good reason for a knee-jerk "ick" reaction. Scorn HIM, yes, but PLEASE remember that Embryo Donation is NOT a bad thing!!!

Ida M. Briggs
Three Pregnancies / Three Miscarriages

[knight_of_the_star]

1. I don't think the issue is the donation

I think the issue is that the organization in question, SNOWFLAKES, appears to be charging money for the use of their services to acquire said embryos.

[IdaBriggs]

4. They don't (or if they do it is nominal).

The "TRANSFER" fee is when the embryos are TRANSFERRED INTO THE UTERUS. They screen, but my understanding is that they are looking more for "good fits" for religious reasons. For example, those who follow the Christian faith won't want to chance sending their biological offspring to hell by being raised Buddhist, if you get the drift. There is also A TON of paperwork involved with the legal niceties to protect everyone involved, while respecting the "anonymous" and "confidential" nature of said donations. These folks are "not for profit" and they are good people who are honestly trying to help others have children. I hate that Bush has allowed them to be misrepresented so badly....:(

[Erika]

2. Great Post

Bush and his far right religious theocrats have lost common sense and practicality. Miscarriages are common, unfortunately, and natural.

I have studied and can remember some of the intense religious fervor about heart/organ transplant knowledge being evil and taking over for God's will.

[bloom]

3. Thanks for the post...

It does seem absolutely crazy that people are not allowed to donate embryos to research if they wish.

[Zookeeper]

5. Thanks for posting your insight and experience, IdaBriggs.

I think adopting the embryos is great, but I'm appalled at the way the "Snowflake" parents are being used (with their agreement, apparently) to limit stem cell research.

Also, after looking at their site, I was struck by several things:

They don't allow single people or Lesbians to adopt.

They trumpet their Christianity to the point that I can't believe they would allow non-Christians to adopt.

A "Snowflake" mom testified that she received 13 embryos. They thawed 5 and implanted the 3 that survived. What did they do with the 8 embryos that they didn't use? Did they have a funeral for the two that didn't survive being thawed? I know this sounds flippant, but as the parent of a child with Type 1 Diabetes, I really resent that that the anti-stem cell research folks think they can have it both ways.

[IdaBriggs]

6. No funeral for the non-survivors.

Please remember we are talking microscopic cell clusters. :) They are probably sitting on the remaining eight, trying to make a decision about whether to try again, or re donate them for someone else.

I also support stem cell research; I think each family should have the opportunity to make the decisions that are best for them. If they want extra embryos destroyed, donated or used for scientific research, I am easily able to get behind all three available options.

I'm seriously "Pro-Choice!" :)

[Zookeeper]

7. I know YOU are on "our" side, but during the debate..

yesterday, DUH-lay and other lunkheads repeatedly referred to those cells as "children" and "young people" and as though those cells were people with rights. The fact that they can use terms like that and yet ignore the fact that fertility clinics have created 400,000 some unused embryos that have been and will be disposed of, says that they think they can have it both ways. They are major hypocrites.