During the American Society of Reproductive Medicine conference in October 2022, a new research project was presented focusing on the Psychosocial Outcomes of Children Born via Embryo Donation. Various embryo donation programs provided access to clients/patients with children born through embryo donation or adoption.
The study aimed to evaluate parents' perceptions of the psychosocial adjustment of children born via embryo donation and the quality of their relationships.
The study's hypotheses were:
- Children born via embryo donation are psychosocially well-adjusted.
- Parents perceive positive relationships with their children born via embryo donation.
The study's conclusion highlighted that families created through embryo donation reported favorable outcomes in terms of:
- Parent-child relationship quality
- Child behavioral adjustment
- Child social/emotional adjustment
While the study participants included families from the Snowflakes Embryo Adoption Program, it's important to note that in the medical world, the preferred terminology is embryo donation.
In summary, the report indicated a high level of comfort with embryo donation, given disclosure rates and minimal regret. Most respondents received home study education, emphasizing the benefits of not keeping the embryo donation a secret, especially from their children.
Another positive finding from the research is that embryo donation does not seem to increase the risk of adverse obstetric or fetal outcomes. These families received education on how to disclose the information to their children, build relationships with their donor family, and avoid secrecy. It's reassuring to have research supporting the anecdotal evidence observed over the past 25 years.
To learn more about embryo adoption, visit Snowflakes.org.
By Paige Zapf