There’s Only One Way For The 1 Million Embryos Stuck In Frozen Orphanages To Make It Out Alive: Adoption

“How many embryos could we adopt?”

As the tears rolled down Marlene Strege’s face, the unconventional words tumbled out of her mouth. It was 1996 and no one had ever asked Marlene Strege that question before.

Marlene and John had already tried fertility treatment when Marlene was diagnosed premature ovarian failing. This is where the body stops making eggs as regularly as it used to. They were already there. “uncomfortable” You can also try IVF Moral and ethical concerns. The couple was willing to try something completely new.

Embryo cryopreservation was a common practice at that time. It is more than 10 years old And Thousands Many embryos were left in liquid nitrogen, unable to move. They were most likely to never see the light. The Streges agreed to some of these after weeks of consultation with trusted leaders in ethics and pastors. “frozen orphans” It was the right thing.

“I had to find out what God thinks about this because I have to stand before God someday and give an account of my life, and my infertility doctor is not going to be standing there with me to tell God ‘Oh, yeah, well, we used a donor,’” Marlene spoke to The Federalist.

The Streges then teamed up with Ron Stoddart, Nightlight Christian Adoptions, to create an embryo adoption program that met all the requirements of domestic adoption. This included a home study and background check as well as education classes. Only difference was that the Streges’ families would not be granted an adoption decree by a judge. The legal status of frozen embryos remains the same today. Property is more important than people.

The Streges lost their doctor and their health insurance when they chose embryo adoption. However, in 1997, the Streges were matched to a Christian family willing to adopt 20 embryos and Fed-Ex the frozen preborn children.

“The family had three days to change their mind just like a birth mom does. And there was an adoption contract between us and them. Once that three days was up, those were our children,” Marlene said.

John and Marlene found a doctor who was also concerned about the ethics of serial embryo creation and was willing to transfer the lives to Marlene’s womb. Six of the twenty embryos survived the freezing process, and were then placed through two separate transfers. One of the six embryos, a baby girl was implanted.

The Streges were thrilled. Marlene recounted the story:

I had the opportunity to see everything. Morning sickness, I had childbirth, I got to nurse her, I got to do everything — and it was just so cool. I felt her kick the first time. It’s so vivid in my mind. I just would cry because I never thought I’d ever get to feel it. It’s a dream come true that you can have and give birth to an adopted child.

After nine months in Marlene’s womb,