McMinnville agency promotes embryo adoption

   McMINNVILLE — PLAN Loving Adoptions, a McMinnville-based Christian agency, last month announced a new program — embryo adoption. PLAN is now taking applications fromcouples physically able to carry a pregnancy to term, in cooperation with Nightlight Christian Adoptions’ Snowflakes® program.
   Laura Lockhart, director of domestic adoption, said PLAN is, to her knowledge, the only Pacific Northwest agency offering this service.
“We believe that when embryos are created, a separate life begins,” said Mari McGovern, PLAN spokesperson.
   When an embryo is implanted and a woman becomes pregnant, development is allowed to continue until the birth of a child. This event occurs through in-vitro fertilization across America every day. However, after successful in-vitro fertilization, remaining embryos often remain, literally frozen at their early stage of development.
   An estimated 500,000 frozen embryos are in storage throughout the U.S. Viable embryos need only the proper environment to grow into a child. In the last nine years, more than 180 children have received that environment through the Snowflakes® embryo adoption program, which has been endorsed by Focus on the Family’s Dr. James Dobson.
   A couple who has completed their family, or no longer wishes to complete in vitro, sometimes face an ethical dilemma: what will they do with the remaining embryos? The options of donation for research or implantation are available.
   However, a third choice is also available to them: they can select a family to receive the embryos, much as a birth parent would in traditional adoption. These “genetic parents” will have the opportunity to know if a child or children result from their gift, and the option of updated information about the child if they so choose.
   An infertile couple, screened by the adoption home study process, can choose to receive the gift of embryos for a frozen embryo transfer procedure, enabling them to carry a baby, experience birth, and ultimately, become the parents of a child uniquely created by God.
   PLAN Loving Adop-tion’s Embryo Adoption program embraces the belief that all are “fearfully and wonderfully made” —regardless of the manner of conception — and the Lord’s eyes see their unformed bodies (Psalm 139). PLAN invites potential adoptive parents to contact them regarding this opportunity.
   PLAN Loving Adop-tions Now is a non-profit full-service, licensed adoption agency currently working both domestically and internationally.
Since 1975, PLAN has placed thousands of children into permanent, loving homes.
   Led by Executive Director Margaret Nice, herself an adoptive parent, PLAN staffers are zealous in their commitment of joining children and families through adoption.
   For more information, contact Mari McGovern at PLAN in McMinnville, 503-472-8452 or via email at info@planlovingadoptions.org.


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