The Embryo Adoption Podcast

Meet Katherine Jackman, the first grandmother featured on The Embryo Adoption Podcast. After remembering President Bush's 2005 "snowflake children" White House event, Katherine suggested embryo adoption to her daughter and son-in-law during their fertility struggles. Their journey brought Katherine a new grandson and even inspired her to write a new children's book explaining embryo adoption through a farming allegory! You...

In this moving episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, Executive Director Tamara Martin of Arrows in the Sky shares profound insights on navigating the complex grief of failed embryo adoption transfers and pregnancy loss. Drawing from her own hard journey, Tamara discusses how spouses may grieve differently and the vital importance of memorializing lost children. Plus, she shares her ministry's mission of providing free ca...

Why does the NEDC require its adopting families to complete a home study, and what’s involved? How are open adoption relationships worked out? And why do all NEDC adopters go through training/education modules? Christian Adoption Consultants Lead Social Worker & Embryo Program Coordinator Rebekah McGee answers all those questions and more in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. Plus, Rebekah shares the heart fo...

Ben & Emily Parker felt called to embryo adoption- seeing it as a beautiful picture of the Gospel in miniature, and less of a rollercoaster for their three young daughters than other forms of adoption or care for vulnerable children. In this episode, hear how their journey’s going & how they’re sharing it with their daughters. Plus, they encourage other families -fertile & infertile- to pursue embryo adoption a...

Ezekiel Lee went from thinking embryo adoption sounded “so sci-fi”… to becoming an NEDC dad! But he and his wife Rachel were frustrated there was no book comprehensively covering how to pursue embryo adoption. So, Ezekiel decided to write it himself! He talks about the book, Once Frozen, Now Family: How to Pursue Embryo Adoption, and How Seven Families Did It, in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. Plus, he and Ra...

Philip and Kahlie share their seven-year journey through infertility, their decision to pursue embryo adoption, and the challenges they faced—including selecting embryos during a natural disaster! They also reflect on how the whole process deepened their spiritual understanding of adoption, inspiring them to advocate for embryo adoption in their community… all in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast.

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At first, having children came easy for Eric & Nana. But then they encountered secondary infertility before they felt their family was complete. In this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, find out how they turned to two kinds of adoption -including embryo- to complete their family. In the process, God brought them a youngest child who was actually conceived before their oldest! 

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Abby & Bryce Thomas may be the only couple we know who literally drove all night (they actually slept in the car!) to get to their frozen embryo transfer. While the early part of their journey with the NEDC didn’t work out as they hoped, they felt led by the Lord to return three years later. Now, as you’ll learn in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, things are totally different. You’ll love this story of how ...

Randy and Jenni share their journey from unexplained infertility to the joy of parenthood through embryo adoption, guided by faith and ethical considerations. They reflect on the emotional process, the birth of their son Silas (frozen for 9.5 years!), and they have a surprise to unveil, so listen all the way to the end!

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Because of a previous battle with a tumor, Drew knew having children might be a challenge when he & Chrissy got married. He was right, but now they’re both thankful for their eventual answer -embryo adoption- and confident it was the road God had for them all along. It’s even created opportunities for them to share their son Theo and his story at art shows! But more than anything, it’s taught them that God is enough, e...

In this compelling Season 5 kickoff episode, we hear from Hannah Strege, the first official embryo adoption baby, as she shares her extraordinary journey and ongoing advocacy for embryo adoption. From her parents' simple "seed analogy" explanation of her origins to memorable moments like visiting the White House, Hannah's story is both inspiring and thought-provoking. She reflects on her genetic family, discusses her uniqu...

Donors’ and recipients’ feelings can change in surprising ways during the embryo adoption process, so anticipating the unexpected can lead to a better experience. In this Season 4 finale of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, psychologist Dr. Jaclyn Davis shares key findings from her extensive research with embryo adoption families. 

NOTE: If you would like to learn more about joining Dr. Davis’s embryo adoption support group, yo...

After a long stretch of unexplained infertility, Amber describes it as “incredible, crazy, and magic” when she and Matt learned they were pregnant with twins through embryo adoption. In this episode, they share their helpful, inspiring story- highlighting the importance of communication, openness to unique family-building methods, and gratitude for the journey that’s brought them closer together.

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NEDC President Dr. Jeffrey Keenan thinks February’s landmark Alabama Supreme Court ruling could lead to a more life-affirming world for frozen embryos. But it won’t happen without navigating some complex questions: Does “life begins at conception” include embryos? Are we willing to advocate for more ethical IVF? Can Christian believers unite on a life-affirming approach to fertility treatment? Dr. Keenan walks through some...

Embryo adoption and infertility can be very tough on people who are “planners," like Jenna and her husband. They never planned to be a one-child family, but they are. In this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, Jenna unpacks an embryo adoption journey of both lasting joy and lingering disappointment. She also describes how God is working through her shattered plans to shape her. May her story bring you comfort, peace, ...

Known as “The Queen of Christian Fiction,” bestselling author Karen Kingsbury has a new movie out- and it’s about embryo adoption! Karen joins The Embryo Adoption Podcast to talk about her newly released film Someone Like You (based on her book of the same name). It’s a story she believes in so much, she used her life savings to finance it!

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Embryo adoption parents Isaac & Olivia Hall say people have been asking them a lot more questions about embryo adoption and IVF lately. The spark: February’s Alabama Supreme Court decision declaring embryos to be human lives. Isaac & Olivia are a natural go-to couple, not only because they’ve adopted embryos, but because Isaac is a pastor. Hear more about the conversations they’re having post-Alabama. Plus, learn f...

John & Sarah were prepared for another failure when the embryos in their second NEDC transfer were graded lower than those in their first. Now, they have twins from that transfer! Lots of helpful stuff in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, including takeaways on overcoming cancer, the importance of having a mentor couple, not putting too much stock in an embryo’s grade, and trusting God at a deeper level! 

Do...