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Creating a Family Through Embryo Adoption

Barcelona IVF
/
Flickr
There were about 400 births by embryo donation in the U.S. in 2013.

In Vitro Fertilization has allowed millions of people to become parents, but the question of what to do with unused frozen embryos can be a difficult one.

On this edition of Talk of Iowa, Charity Nebbe talks  with a mom who decided to donate her frozen embryos to another couple, and the mom who will receive them.

"I took some time to think about what decision I could live with for the rest of my life," says embryo donor Lydia Fine of Iowa City.

"A lot of moms tell me that they could never do what we're doing," says Fine. "And I tell them, 'I think if you found yourself in these shoes, you could do it.' It feels right, and I think a lot of moms especially will recognize that children are an amazing gift; and if they can give them to someone else, that they should."

Janette Clausen of Lutheran Family Services and Dr. Ginny Ryan, of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, also join the conversation to discuss the intricacies of donating embryos and the option to donate embryos to medical research.

Charity Nebbe is the host of IPR's Talk of Iowa