CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Approximately one in eight couples in the U.S. are affected by infertility but many never consider an option that been around for decades, embryo adoption.
Marty and Elizabeth Wilson are living their dream come true with daughters Emily and Marly but it took a while to build their family of four.
Elizabeth had no issue becoming pregnant with Emily, so two years after her birth the couple decided to try for baby number two.
“And that’s when the struggling started,” Elizabeth said.
Marty added: “She was capable of conceiving a child, there was just a challenge with the number of eggs that were available,”
With her chances of a natural birth fading, the couple started an online search for traditional adoption.
Then they learned about embryo adoption, which is when an embryo created for in vitro fertilization is transferred to the adoptive mother who carries the baby to full term.
“A lot of patients who go through this treatment, fertility treatment, IVF, know how hard it is and how much work it is and how infertility can be very sad at times, very happy at times but also very, very psychologically draining and so a lot of our patients opt to donate their embryo’s to other couples who are dealing with infertility,” said Dr. Maria Facadio Antero, a fertility specialist with Conceptions Florida.
After months of paperwork and home interviews, the Wilson’s were matched with their embryo, now 5 year old Marly.
“Carrying her it was like, living the dream. She’s a member of the family just as much as Emily is biologically,” Elizabeth said.
Embryo adoption can cost around nine thousand dollars, which is far less than traditional adoption and extensive fertility treatments.