Hi everyone,
I have been off this board for a while and wanted to thank all of you for your replies to my question about the ethics of IVF and embryo destruction. (Can't find that post anymore but it's here somewhere) In the end, we decided to go for IVF and I responded well to the drugs, in the sense that lots of eggs were created. But a few days prior to egg retrieval, I just couldn't go through with it. The thought of creating embryos of which many would simply be discarded bothered me so much. So we cancelled the cycle and infertility treatments altogether, even though our insurance would have paid six tries of IVF. It was very tempting to go for it but it would involve compromising on our ethics, and I think that's a serious compromise. I have reached the conclusion that this type of fertility treatment where many embryos are created just to be destroyed is essentially a way of playing god: The patients and doctors decide who gets a chance to live, and who doesn't. I can't see the difference between embryo destruction and abortion. To make a short story short: We have decided to adopt, and I feel good about it. Thanks again for all your advice.

Funny how we sometime just have to do what we have to do! My husband and I came to the same conclusion you have and we have been very happy with our experience adopting.... Good luck with yours!

I am new to this forum and just had to post. I went through IVf and have a 1 month old daughter. I am so grateful that I did go through the IVF. I tried last May and it failed and I was devestated, but thought that God will bless me either through one more try or through adoption. Well, as I said I have a beautiful daughter that I thank God for that I did go though with the IVF. I can not imagine my life without her. That is actually why I am on this site.

I just wanted to share my story.

Though I have no experience with IVF, and just a basic understanding of what is involved, I still wanted to post here. I had the same thought as doodleblush, to donate the unused embryos. My own personal feelings going into IVF, if we had, was we wouldn't have any more embryos implanted that we weren't willing to raise. So if 4 were placed and 4 took, I guess I would be a proud mom quadruplets. Just my thought though. Whether you go through fertility treatments or adoption, there is no "easy" way nessesarily. We have been so happy with adoption though.

Melissa