The pain of infertility is acute. Unimaginable, if you haven’t been through it.
Angel Watts has been through it. And after seven years of trying to conceive, seven years of failed attempts to fall pregnant and carry a child, she is now a mother of four, two sets of girl-boy twins, via IVF.
The Watts family’s Christmas portrait.
Like other parents in their position, Angel and her husband Jeff then faced a difficult decision. What to do with six frozen embryos, the result of years of expense and treatment and heartbreak.
And they’ve decided they will give them away to a couple who are as desperate as they were to have a family. Since making their intentions know via a placement agency, the pair, from Nashville in Tennesee have been flooded with interest.
But not from anyone who they deem suitable, so they’ve taken their offer to Facebook. Not because they couldn’t find anyone who wanted their babies, but because they have some VERY strict conditions for who they want to take them:
Part of Angel Watts’ Facebook post to donate her embryos.
For a start, they are looking for a family who want all six children, and are happy to have them close together, over a short period of time.
And they have to have the money to give six children a comfortable life.
After seven years of trying, the Watts’ now have two sets of boy-girl twins.
And they have to be Christian, and attend a church that the Watts family approves of.
And they have to married, have been married for a while, but not be over the age of 35.
And not have any children already.
Part of Angel Watts’ Facebook post to donate her embryos.
They also want to remain in contact with the parents, so would like them to live nearby, and be happy to meet up once of twice a year at playground or church for a family reunion.
They also have to be in good health, aside from fertility issues.
It’s a lot, yes?
A lot of expectation, a lot of control over lives that ultimately, will cease to be connected to you when you when those embryos change hands.
If you might think it’s too much, you wouldn’t be alone, but you might be surprised to hear that since Angel made her offer on Facebook she has been inundated with offers from families who think they fit the bill.
As she posted on Saturday:
Wow, I’ve received so many messages about the embryo’s that I can’t get to all of them. If your reading this and I have not responded to you, it is because it got lost in the mix or I have not got to it. I’m sorry if I miss someone, I’m doing the best I can to care for the family and have internet time for this as well.
What do you think? Is it completely understandable to want to control every aspect of a life that you are, in many ways, giving up?
Top Comments
Well I'm the adoptive mother and I can assure Angel gets nothing out of the deal, except the peace of mind that her remaining children went to a home she felt comfortable with. And guess what? My family met those requirements, we were happy to be selected by the Watts family! This is a wonderful opportunity and we love their family dearly. We can't wait to build a relationship with them!
Just because these requirements seem extreme to you doesn't mean she should lower her standard for her babies, especially when selecting their future. Don't assume because you can't uphold her standard, that no one can. We are very excited to have the open relationship and my family actually added more open communication to our contact agreement!
Yeah maybe IVF oughta screen bigots and elitists out of the parental race altogether - might help our global community evolve a bit faster!
I'm assuming I was referred to a bigot because I wanted a Christian family to adopt the embryos. I'm not going to dignify a response. Elitists? I'm laughing here on the other side of the pond. We are middle class in America. My husband currently drives a 10 year old Toyota to work. You know nothing about our rags to riches story where I worked my way out of poverty the hard way. Which is one reason we waited later to have children.