Adoption vs. IVF in California: Which is Right for You?

When you want to become a parent, an infertility diagnosis can be devastating. Coming to terms with this obstacle is difficult enough, but deciding what to do next can seem nearly impossible.

This is common for hopeful parents who receive this news. But, it is critical to take the time to work through your feelings and grieve the losses that come with infertility.

Being infertile does not mean you have to give up your dreams of parenthood. Whenever you’re ready, you have many options to start or build your family.

Though there are plenty of parenting options to pursue, this guide is intended to help you determine if the adoption process or the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process in California is best for your family.

If you have more questions about adoption vs. IVF, then you can contact us online to get more free information now.

An Overview of Adoption vs. IVF in California

Many hopeful parents reach a point in their journey where they have narrowed their options down to adoption or IVF.

Whichever option you ultimately choose, you must be 100% committed to the process.

Choosing adoption vs. IVF is not easy. One option isn’t better or worse than the other. So, it is up to every hopeful parent to decide what is right for them based on their circumstances.

Although they are two very different processes, IVF and adoption share some similarities. Both can:

• Help hopeful parents add a new member to their families

• Be emotionally challenging processes

• Involve significant investments of time, money and energy

Below, discover what these two methods for infertility are and how they can help you start or build your family.

The IVF Process in California

For many hopeful parents, fertility treatments are incredibly helpful. There are many different types of fertility treatments, but IVF in particular is the most common of the assisted reproductive technology (ART) methods.

The IVF process is when a physician harvests a sperm and egg cell from each partner and combines the two in a laboratory dish to form an embryo. When ready, the embryo will be implanted in the uterus. If the procedure is a success, then the pregnancy will continue just like any other.

Adoption

For many hopeful parents, moving from the IVF process to adoption happens when IVF fails or has become too expensive to continue. But, that’s not to say that everyone must first choose IVF vs adoption in California.

Some families might know right away that adoption is how they would like to build their family. Adoption has many benefits, and there are many types of adoption that hopeful parents can pursue:

• Domestic infant adoption: In this form of U.S. adoption, a prospective birth parent chooses their adoption plan and the adoptive family. Adoptive parents and birth parents often have an open relationship  as the child grows.

• Foster care adoption: If a child in the foster care system can be adopted, then this means the state court terminated their biological parents’ rights, so they can’t regain custody. The goal of the foster care system is to reunite a child with their biological family, and birth parents are given several opportunities to complete a reunion plan. Children in the foster system are often older, a sibling pair or have disabilities.

• International adoption: This type of adoption refers to adoptive parents who add a child from another country to their family. New laws and regulations make international adoption less common, and this process varies greatly depending on the country hopeful parents wish to adopt from.

Although there are many options for infertile families, these two are common among hopeful parents. But, there are plenty of differences between adoption and IVF you should consider before you choose.

Differences between Adoption vs. IVF in California

Moving on from infertility takes time and effort. Some hopeful parents might decide not to pursue family-building. But for people who do, here are three key differences between adoption and IVF in California:

1. Adoption vs. IVF in California: Genetic Relationship

Probably the most obvious difference between IVF and adoption is the genetic connection (or lack thereof). IVF allows hopeful parents to have a child who is biologically related to them while adoption does not. Some parents choose IVF over adoption because it is important to them to maintain that biological relationship.

But, if IVF becomes unsuccessful and the hopeful parents choose adoption, that should not change the love parents have for their child.

2. Adoption vs. IVF in California: Costs 

IVF in California costs roughly $12,000-$14,000+ per cycle, excluding medications. And, many hopeful families will undergo multiple cycles to achieve a successful pregnancy. The cost can continue to rise with factors like:

• Embryo creation

• Fresh embryo transfer vs. frozen embryo transfer

• Mini IVF vs. Full IVF

• Donor choices (if applicable)

• Gestational carrier or surrogate (if applicable)

Adoption costs can vary from little (as in a foster care adoption) to $70,000 or more. Most couples debating adoption vs. IVF in California are most interested in adopting an infant, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Foster care adoption is almost always the most cost-effective form of adoption with an average cost of $2,744 while international adoption costs depend heavily on the country a family adopts from.

Keep in mind, however, money spent on IVF may not result in a pregnancy, but working with a reliable and reputable adoption professional, like American Adoptions, will help you become a parent.

3. Adoption vs. IVF in California: Success Rates

Adoption can be a challenging process where an adoption disruption is possible but rare. However, once the prospective birth mother gives their consent, you will become a parent.

IVF, on the other hand, has a success rate of around 50% for people under age 35. The success rate declines the older someone gets. Hopeful parents often have to undergo multiple cycles of IVF to achieve a successful pregnancy, and there is a risk that the treatments are never successful.

IVF can be physically taxing, emotionally draining and financially challenging, sometimes leaving people unable to turn to other family-building options when it is unsuccessful.

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Deciding between IVF, adoption and your other family-building options is not an easy process. It should take a lot of time and consideration.

Before starting down any one path, you should talk over your options with your spouse, the rest of your family and an infertility counselor. And, to learn more about adoption vs. IVF in California, you can contact us online to speak with a professional and get the information you need today. 

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