Embryo Donor Resources

Snowflakes® provides the same safeguards that the traditional adoption process offers. You will know that the family you have chosen to parent your pre-born child(ren) has been screened for a criminal history and child abuse record, as well as received education about how to parent an adoptee. You have the peace of mind of having handpicked a family to raise your genetic child. You also have the opportunity to have contact with your adopting family to whatever extent you both are comfortable.

Embryo donation and adoption does not promote nor encourage the practice of IVF or embryo freezing. It is a solution to the ever growing number of frozen embryos (1.25 million) in the United States.

The adoption agreement and relinquishment forms are legal contracts between the two families. As there are limited laws regarding adoption of embryos, we have created the contract to match the current position of the courts that the embryos are property. The contract covers the transfer of property and also includes additional adoption language. These legal forms are signed and executed prior to the embryos being shipped to the adoptive parents’ clinic and before the embryos are implanted in the adoptive mother.

There have been no definitive studies proving how long embryos can stay frozen and remain viable. We have had successful pregnancies with embryos frozen for 23+ years. We believe each embryo, no matter its age, is a precious life that should be given the opportunity to grow.

Yes, we just need to obtain copies of your donor profile, egg donor consent and donor infectious disease screen results. We will provide a copy of the donor profile to the adopting family along with the family health history that you provide. We need a copy of the egg donor consent to verify that you have the legal authority to place the embryos for adoption with another couple and they are not specifically for your use only. The infectious disease results are part of the FDA requirements for the adopting family’s clinic to accept the embryos into their facility.

No. In surrogacy, an agreement is made for a woman to carry a pregnancy for the benefit of the intended parents. In our program, the embryo donors relinquish all rights to the child prior to the frozen embryo transfer. The child that the adoptive mother carries is the child that the adoptive couple will parent. When the adopting mother gives birth to the child her name, and the name of her husband, will be placed on the birth certificate at the hospital. 

Unfortunately, after many attempts to bring embryos into the U.S. from another country have been unsuccessful. We have determined to only accept embryo donations if the embryos are stored at a facility located within the U.S.

Embryo adopters who live outside of the U.S. are welcome into the program. Most of the adoption process can be managed via phone and email.  The frozen embryo transfer (FET) must take place at one of our preferred partner clinics located in the U.S.

The Snowflakes program has created a process and associated forms to help you prepare appropriate instructions and documentation for your subsequent representative upon your death.  Please contact our Placing Parent Inquiry Specialist, Jen Grams, at (970) 578-9700 or jen@nightlight.org to discuss this option.