Embryo Donation and Disclosure, SWFL Physician Tackles Topic in Blog

Nov. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- In an effort to expand knowledge about embryo donation and to support donors, recipients and children conceived through this family building option, Dr. Craig Sweet, EDI’s medical director, has written a unique five-part blog series about disclosure (http://www.EmbryoDonationBlog.com). The blog address the complex and sometimes contentious issues facing these groups about revealing the true genetic origins of embryo donor-conceived children. Additionally, EDI conducted surveys asking respondents to assume they were making decisions about disclosure based on whether they were a donor, recipient or donor-conceived individual. The survey results, as well as comprehensive review of published academic sources, are incorporated into Dr. Sweet’s multi-faceted discussion of this important subject. His insights are important for both professional and patient audiences.

“There has been a new push for universal disclosure brought forward by sperm and egg donor-conceived individuals who were eventually told of their genetic origins,” stated Dr. Sweet. “Also, drawing upon the general perspective that adopted children should always be told of their origins, some have advocated disclosure for all donor-conceived offspring. I felt it was time to discuss the issues carefully keeping in mind that embryo donation is both similar and yet quite different from egg and sperm and donation as well as adoption itself.”

Dr. Craig Sweet, a southwest Florida infertility specialist, understands the complex nature of family building. As a board certified reproductive endocrinologist practicing for over 20 years, he’s seen pivotal changes in reproductive medicine during this period. These medical advances have led to new ways to conceive a child, including embryo donation.  Simultaneously, the new family building options have created new concerns and topics for debate, especially regarding disclosure of the genetic origins of the embryo donor-conceived individuals to family friends and the offspring themselves. As is covered in the blog, each party - donor(s), recipient(s) and the donor offspring –have different concerns and questions.

In 2003, the nonprofit research institution RAND estimated there were at least 400,000 embryos cryopreserved in the United States (Fertility & Sterility, May 2003, Vol. 79, No. 5). EDI’s goal is to encourage patients to use their embryos to expand their own families but otherwise consider embryo donation rather than abandonment or discarding them.  The current number of cryopreserved embryos is unknown.

EDI’s dedicated mission is to increase the number of frozen embryos donated while simultaneously reducing the number of frozen embryos abandoned or discarded and assist in matching these donated embryos to patients in need regardless of race, religion, ancestry, sexual preference or marital status. EDI is a subdivision of Specialists In Reproductive Medicine & Surgery, P.A. (SRMS), which has been providing embryo donation services for 10 years as well as compassionate reproductive endocrine and infertility care for over 20 years.

For more information about the company’s history, philosophy, services and devoted staff, visit http://www.embryodonation.com/home.php. Frequent updates are available at EDI’s Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Digg and Vimeo pages – all accessible via the EDI website.


ABOUT EMBRYO DONATION INTERNATIONAL (EDI)
Embryo Donation International (EDI) is a private reproductive endocrinology and infertility practice located in Fort Myers, Florida. They are one of the few, non-faith-based, non-discriminatory embryo donation facilities in the United States. Founded by Dr. Craig R. Sweet in 2011 as an expansion of their 10 year-old embryo donation program (sometimes referred to as embryo adoption), they are one of the most experienced and cost-effective embryo donation centers in the United States. For more information, contact Dr. Sweet at 800-334-2184, 239-275-5728 or visit http://www.embryodonation.com/home.php.

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Embryo Donation International (EDI) is a private reproductive endocrinology, infertility, gynecology and reproductive genetics practice located in Fort Myers, Florida. We provide fertility services for patients around the world, including embryo donation.