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Austin, TX
hello@snowflakebaby.com
- PHONE
+1.800.724.7604
Is snowflake baby an agency ?
No, Snowflake Baby is an independent self matching application for embryo donors and recipients to share and search details without a middle man or agency interference. Users may include an agency or legal representative in the process as they see fit if determined it is in their best interest.
How Does This Application work ?
Donors and recipients can sign up and create a profile then use the search features to find matches that fit their criteria and initiate contact through the secure platform. If both parties agree they can make arrangements to transfer the embryo(s) to the recipients.
How do I change or recover my password ?
To change your password:
Profile > Settings
If you don’t see the Settings option in the menu, make sure you are on the Profile page and click on the three dots to view the extended menu.
To recover password:
Login > Lost Password?
Go to login page https://app.snowflakebaby.com/_login and click on Lost Password?
who dO i contact if I have a technical issue ?
If you have a technical issue or question you can email us at help@snowflakebaby.com and we will answer you as quickly as possible.
What Are the benefits of a featured profile ?
The benefits of being a featured user are that these profiles have increased visibility by appearing both on the home page and on the search pages increasing chances of finding a suitable match.
What is a verified profile ?
A verified profile is a an embryo recipient that has provided government id that matches their profile details or a donor who has verified their identity through government identification and a cryostorage bill or agreement to verify embryo ownership. Again it is the responsibility of the user to take precautions to verify the claims and identity of any party they choose to engage or enter into agreement with. SnowflakeBaby is not responsible or liable for inaccuracies, or false claims. We are simply a tool to introduce donors and recipients. Vetting, verifying, and filtering suitable matches is the users responsibility. Verified profiles build credibility with other users and increases chances of finding an appropriate match.
How do I get verified ?
There is no cost to users to have their profiles verified and details as stated above embryo recipient that has provided government id that matches their profile details or a donor who has verified their identity through government identification and a cryo storage bill or agreement to verify embryo ownership, documents must be emailed to getverified@snowflakebaby.com
Billing FAQs
How do I cancel my subscription ?
To cancel your membership use the following navigation:
Profile > Billing > Cancel Membership
If you don’t see the Billing option in the menu, make sure you are on the profile page and click on the three dots to view the extended menu.
How do I change my subscription type ?
To change your membership type use the following navigation:
Profile > Billing > Change Membership Type
If you don’t see the Billing option in the menu, make sure you are on the profile page and click on the three dots to view the extended menu.
What ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF EMBRYO DONATION for DONORS ?
Let’s explore the pro and cons of embryo donation for donors.
The benefits we can easily identify are:
- The joy of making a selfless meaningful contribution to another family who understands the struggle of infertility and who will likely love and appreciate any offspring as much as you would your own.
- Freedom from the guilt or stress of not making a decision and continuing with cryopreservation indefinitely.
- No longer being financially responsible for ongoing cryostorage and maintenance fees.
- Donating is generally free for donors, as recipients assume responsibility for the costs of donation.
- There are many different ways to donate.
- Through self-matching there is no obligation to donate unless you are ready and comfortable with your decision, and on your timeline.
Through self-matching you can also choose the level of legal and third-party involvement. - There is a lot of flexibility in donation you can choose to be anonymous or agree to some form of contact after donation through your donation agreement.
- If self-matching you can choose the family you want to donate to yourself.
Potential cons to consider before donating are few, but something to think reflect on:
- You are giving up the legal rights to make future decisions about the outcome of these embryos.
- Depending on your legal agreement or in an anonymous donation you may not know the final outcome of whether or not a transfer resulted in a child, and could potentially have unknown genetic children.
- Since few laws have been created regarding embryo donation, it is your responsibility to educate yourself about donation regulations in your town/city/state.
Why should I donate an embryo ?
Donating an embryo is one of the greatest gifts and one of the most selfless acts one human can grant another. Most embryo donors have experienced their own fertility battles and struggles to build a family and understand the joy and happiness donation can bring into the lives of donors. For some it’s a moral or religious belief that motivates and inspires them, and for others it’s a matter of not wanting the continued expense of cryo storage or to see embryos become the subjects of medical experiment or disposed of as medical waste.
What financial compensation can donors ask for ?
Embryos CANNOT be bought or sold, it is illegal and strictly prohibited. Donors can however request financial compensation for legal expenses related to the embryo donation, physical transportation expenses of the embryo if required, and cryo storage fees from the time of assuming ownership. Please speak to a legal representative to make sure you are in accordance with local laws.
What ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF EMBRYO DONATION for Recipients ?
Exploring an assessment of the pros and cons of embryo donation for recipients there are many factors to consider:
- Donor embryos are free, as opposed to other gamete donations such as eggs/sperm donations.
- Embryo donation is often a faster route to pregnancy since viable have already been created by passing egg retrieval and potentially unsuccessful attempts at fertilization.
- It is an opportunity to still experience pregnancy and birth of your child directly.
The reduced medical costs may make this a viable option for families that can’t afford tens of thousands of dollars for IVF. - The reduced medical costs may allow for more chances at successful implantation and live birth.
Women who have experienced early menopause can still carry an embryo to birth. - Since egg quality of the intended mother is not a factor women can carry up to the age of 55.
- The frozen embryo transfer procedure is much less invasive than the egg retrieval procedure required for IVF.
Less fertility drugs are required and potentially few or none if you opt for a natural cycle.
Less psychologically invasive as home studies are not a requirement. - It may be be a final opportunity for women of advanced maternal age to build a family.
- Self-matching allows you to bypass long wait lists and “adoption” agencies charging up to and over $10k by treating embryo donation as a live adoption.
- Expensive genetic testing for disease and embryo quality is likely already completed.
This type of family building method has its own set of factors for donors to consider before proceeding:
- The child will not be your genetic offspring, similarly to adoption.
- If you are self-matching your expenses will be significantly reduced but will also require you to take on more responsibility with the DIY approach.
- There are no guarantees embryo transfers can still fail, 2019 study by the CDC found the pregnancy rate of donor embryos to be at 44.4%.
- Since few laws have been created regarding embryo donation, it is your responsibility to educate yourself about donation regulations in your town/city/state.
- Some donors may still require home studies, or ongoing contact and updates through your legal agreement.
- In an anonymous donation little or no medical history may be available. Many “adoption” programs are operated by conservative christian groups that may restrict single mothers, and non-traditional family types from participating.
- In the self-matching process it may take longer for single mothers and non-traditional family structures to find a match.
- The donor family may have already used the highest graded embryos, which leaves the potential for mid-level grade embryos to be donated.( Low grade embryos are generally discarded by IVF clinics and not preserved since they are deemed unsuitable for transfer.)
- There is a possibility for unknown genetic siblings if the donation is anonymous, or the donor has chosen more than one family to donate to.
Are there any restrictions for donors or recipients to sign up ?
We have no restrictions on who can sign up, it is the user’s responsibility to vet potential donors and recipients, and we do not presume to know what a donor or recipient might be looking for in a match. Additionally with the high rate of discrimination occurring within embryo “adoption” programs often preferring and sometimes exclusively catering to strictly conventional couples and families, while we support and encourage diversity and conscious inclusion. We know that healthy families come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. We do not discriminate against donors or recipients for any reason including: race, religion, sexual preference, marital status or age (with the exception of minors for legal and ethical reasons).
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Do I need a home study ?
No, a home study is not required in most states or provinces at time of writing. It is your personal responsibility to verify that you are acting in accordance with local laws and customs in your area. Be sure to contact a knowledgeable legal representative who can advise you.
What do I do when I find a match ?
Once you found what you decide is your potential match, discuss term and conditions online through private messaging. If you agree upon terms, you can then contact an attorney or legal rep to make sure these terms and conditions fall within accordance to local laws. After you have a drafted agreement, you can proceed with the “property” (embryo) transfer which may include transportation of the embryo to a local fertility clinic or cryo storage facility to implant the embryos into the womb of the woman carrying the pregnancy.
What age can a woman carry an embryo to ?
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, states that women should not undergo embryo transfers after the age of 55. Several clinics are performing transfers for women in their early 50’s. It’s important to realize that although egg viability of the woman carrying the pregnancy is no longer a factor, there is the potential for increased risks with advanced maternal age for complications like preeclampsia(a high blood pressure condition in pregnant women) and gestational diabetes. Maximum age will depend on the individual woman’s physical condition. Please consult your physician to determine if carrying a pregnancy is right for you and your body.
Why is embryo donation a more accessible alternative ?
Embryo donation is a more accessible alternative for many families because recipients can seek donor embryos on their own, without the need for a 3rd party or intermediary. This can save recipient families and individuals tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary agency fees, and allow them to skip long wait list times. Since egg quality is not a factor in embryo donation, women can carry these embryos in their womb 5 to 10 years later in life than with IVF. Often times testing has already been completed on donated embryos, and many of the high cost expenses of IVF have already been covered, making it more accessible to families who might not be able to cover these expenses otherwise.
How does embryo Donation differ from IVF ?
Cost – Cost is much lower than IVF, much of the testing and process has already been completed.
Time – Embryos have already been created successfully,
Invasiveness – the woman carrying the embryo does not have to undergo egg retrieval, only the minimally invasive of embryo transfer.
Physical Viability – Since egg quality is not an issue women can carry up to the age of 50+.
Procedure – Testing the mother’s physical health to carry a viable pregnancy, preparing the body for embryo transfer and the actual embryo transfer of the embryo(s) to the womb are the only medical procedures for the embryo recipient.
Drugs – The woman carrying the embryo does not need to take fertility drugs to increase egg production, or a trigger shot to stimulate ovulation. The only hormones that may be required or recommended are fertility drugs to prepare the body for pregnancy and to increase the viability and to carry to full term.
What is the cost of embryo donation THROUGH A SELF MATCHING SERVICE?
The cost for donors is generally free, recipients assume responsibility for the expenses incurred by the donation process. The cost of building a family through embryo donation for recipients can be range from $3500 USD and as much as $20000 USD per cycle depending on how you choose to proceed and what service providers you select. A realistic cost estimate in 2022 using a self matching service for recipients $6550 would be good ball park figure for a completed cycle that would include six months subscription to a self matching service to locate embryos ($400), a legal contract that defines the terms and conditions between the donor and recipient($650), a pre-pregnancy physical exam of the women intending to carry the embryo(s)($400), transportation of embryo(s) from the donor’s clinic to the clinic where intended parent(s) plan to perform the FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer)($500), potential fertility drugs required to prepare the womb and increase pregnancy viability ($600), and the actual cost of the (FET) frozen embryo transfer to the womb($4000). Again, this is purely approximations and it will vary depend on your choices of service providers, where you are located, whether or not you opt for any extra services or additional testing, the quality and grade of the embryos themselves, and the physical condition of the woman intending to carry.
For a more detailed cost analysis sign up for our newsletter, and we will send you a copy of our e-book when it is released which will include a comprehensive breakdown of the expenses incurred by embryo recipients, and explore the cost of various paths to acquire embryos, and a breakdown of the price range for each of the expenses. This all depends on whether you decide to use an agency, a self matching service, include home studies, hire a lawyer vs using a pre-written legal contract, what drugs may be required to increase pregnancy viability, what company you choose to physically transfer transport your embryos, the medical service providers you select to perform the FET to the uterus carrying the pregnancy, and any the range of expenses for extra embryonic testing you may decide to do. Lots to think about for recipients. It’s always best to plan ahead and be prepared with an informed understanding of all potential costs that may arise.
What is the process and the steps involved for embryo donation through the Snowflakebaby.com self matching service?
A simplified explanation of the self–matching process would be as follows:
- Donor has a desire to donate remaining embryos and completes the sign up process and creates a free profile at app.snowflakebaby.com.
- Recipient decides to use a self–matching service to locate embryos to build or add to their family and signs up and creates a profile at app.snowflakebaby.com
- Donors and Recipients search and filter profiles on the SnowflakeBaby application until they find a match they are interested in.
- Once a donor or recipient finds a potential match they can “friend” and message the potential through the secure platform on the SnowflakeBaby platform.
- If the donor and recipient agree upon terms and decide to move forward, they can make arrangements to contact a legal representative to draft an agreement defining the terms and conditions of the “property transfer.”
- From that stage that point they can proceed with the actual physical transfer of embryos to the clinic or cryostorage facilitates the intended parents have chosen, and any exchange of financial compensation to cover legal and transportation expenses is likely to occur.
- At this point the donor’s role and responsibility in the embryo donation comes to an end and further communication or involvement with each other is voluntary and dependent upon the agreed upon terms.
- For the embryo recipient this is the stage that the woman who intends to carry the pregnancy will undergo tests and medical examination and potentially take hormones to increase pregnancy viability.
- Any extra ultrasounds that may be necessary will occur at this time to check the thickness of the uterine lining and potentially a mock transfer.
- Finally, the official FET frozen embryo transfer will occur and somewhere between 1–5 embryos will be Following embryo transfer begins the two–week wait to determine if a viable pregnancy has occurred.
Success rates vary from case to case based on embryo quality, quantity, and carrier but the most recent data released by the CDC in 2019 reports that the national average for live births resulting from donor embryos is 44.4%.
For more details, and answers to questions sign up to our , and to receive a copy of our e-book Top Questions about Embryo Donation answered for Donors and Recipients.
Remember it is always your responsibility to vet potential donors and recipients, to inform yourself about local laws and customs and to consult with the appropriate legal and medical professionals before proceeding.
Legal FAQ's
What are the legalities surrounding embryo Donation ?
At the time of writing (April 2022) embryos are classified as “personal property” across most of the US, and only a handful of states – including Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Georgia have passed any specific legislation surrounding embryo donation. While Georgia and Florida have both created laws to facilitate the embryo donation process and specifically allow for it, in most states intended parents of donor embryos must rely solely on private legal agreements.
Since the process of adoption can only legally occur when establishing parentage of an existing child that has achieved a status of “personhood”, the donation of embryos is regulated by Food and Drug Administration that also regulates the donation of human tissue, reproductive or non, gamete, including sperm, egg, and embryos. As of July 2005, ALL tissues intended for donation MUST BE TESTED for infectious diseases in accordance to FDA regulations or clearly labeled that infectious disease testing has NOT OCCURRED. While this is standard procedure for any licensed fertility clinics, it is the donor’s responsibility in self-matching to make sure that these legal requirements have been met through clinic records prior to donating their embryos, and the recipient’s responsibility and due diligence to verify. https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/safety-availability-biologics/what-you-should-know-reproductive-tissue-donation
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Do I need a lawyer ?
No, a lawyer is not required in most states or provinces at time of writing. It is your personal responsibility to verify that you are acting in accordance with local laws and customs in your area be sure to contact a knowledgeable legal representative who can advise you on how to best proceed. We want to stress the importance of consulting legal counsel and having a clear written agreement to protect you from any ambiguity, potential disagreements, oversights or future liabilities. While it is not required, it is 100% recommended that you confer with a lawyer or legal representative before committing to any donation agreement and clinics and cryostorage facilities in many states require a legal agreement to release embryos to the new owners.
Embryo Donation Terms Explained
Can you explain the embryo donation agreement types ?
Open Donation Agreement – open donation is when both the biological donors and the intended parents are in regular contact and may include access and scheduled visits between the child and the donors. Intended parents still have 100% custody and parental rights of the child, but may choose to include the biological donors in the child’s life.
Semi-Open Donation Agreement – is the most common type of donation these days. In a semi-open donation agreement biological donors and intended parents(s), keep contact after the transfer process, they may exchange messages and photos, but donors do not play an active role in the child’s life.
Closed Donation Agreement – closed donation agreements are no longer as common as they used to be. They have fallen out of favor as they are viewed as less ethical and it has been proven that there are benefits to the emotional development of the child to have some access to or knowledge of their biological donors. In a closed agreement, there is no contact between the biological donors or the intended parents once the process is completed. A third party, such as an agency maybe used as a mediator by the two parties to minimize or eliminate direct contact.
Anonymous Donation Agreement – In an anonymous donation, minimal information about the biological donors is provided, identity is withheld, and there is no contact between the donors and recipient(s), and no contact between the child and biological donors.
Can you Explain Embryo Grading?
For a detailed explanation check out our 40 page ebook about Embryo Donation. Before understanding embryo grading it might be helpful to review the embryonic stages of development, which is also covered there.
Embryos are generally graded after fertilization during the blastocyte phase using the Gardner grading system. The Gardner grading system consists of three characters, a number and two letters eg. 5AB. Blastocytes are graded on form and quality. The Gardner grading system begins at stage 3 of embryonic development on Day 5 or 6 when the embryo has developed into a blastocyte containing two layers and inner cell mass and an outer “shell” referred to as the trophectoderm.
The first character in the Gardner system is a number which represents the stage in development of the blastocyte, the second character is a letter grade that represents the form of the inner cell mass that becomes the fetus and the third and final character is a letter that represents the form of the trophectoderm that becomes the placenta. For development phases grade 4 and 5 are considered ideal over phase 6. Grade A and B embryos are biopsied and frozen on Day 5-7 while grade C embryos usually don’t qualify for freezing or transfer and are thus discarded. Pregnancy rates are roughly calculate based on the blastocyte grade. When grading from A is the highest and D is the lowest grade, this grade is based on blastocyte form and structure. Grade A embryos will have little to no fragmentation while grade C embryos may have up to 35% fragmentation. Fragmentation occurs when the cells of the embryo divide. Little pieces break away from the primary cells creating fragments with no nuclei, reducing the amount of cytoplasm in the blastocyte cells. Embryos with higher rates of fragmentation are considered developmentally disadvantaged and are less likely to result in a successful pregnancy. Higher fragmentation also poses an increased risk in chromosomal abnormalities and these embryos will be discarded.
Not all embryos reach blastocyte phase and some may be slower to develop and may require more time to develop into blastocytes while others may stagnate and become altogether non-viable. It is for this reason that some clinics may still prefer Day 3 transfers allowing the embryo to reach blastocyte in the natural environment of the uterus. Grading for early blastocytes uses a different grading system since the structures graded in the Gardener system have not yet formed. Early blastocytes are graded from A to D based on cell division, rate of development and percentage of fragmentation. Most clinics consider early blastocytes less likely to succeed but sill have a chance to develop into a viable pregnancy.
Can you explain the EMBRYO testing types?
Genetic abnormalities are the leading cause of miscarriage and failed pregnancies. Screening embryos can determine the most genetically viable options to transfer and most likely to result in a successful pregnancy. Genetic testing has evolved over time since it’s introduction in the 1990’s. Tests are performed on embryos from 3 to 7 days old, and originally referred to as PGD and PGS testing but has since evolved into PGT-A, PGT-D, and PGT-SR. Test types and acronyms are explained below:
PGD – Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (pre 2018) – PGD has been renamed and broken down into two seperate tests. Now referred to as PGT-M and PGT-SR.
PGD. PGD is the genetic profiling of embryos prior to implantation for abnormalities and genetic diseases.
PGS – Preimplantation Genetic Screening (pre 2018) – now referred to as PGT-A. PGS was a genetic test that looked for chromosomal abnormalities that could lead to miscarriage or genetic disorders.
PGT-A – Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies: Previously known as pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS). PGT-A looks for chromosomal abnormalities which may lead to miscarriage or genetic disorders. This is a general analysis as opposed to the very similar PGT-M test that looks for specific chromosomal abnormalities. Abnormal embryos that implant can result in miscarriage, failed implantation, or a child with birth defects or significant health issues. PGT-A is often recommended for woman of advanced maternal age.
PGT-M – Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Monogenic/Single Gene Defects – Previously known as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).
PGT-M screens for chromosomal abnormalities and genetic defects within an embryo controlled by a single gene. PGT-A is often recommended when there is a known family history of genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis or muscular dystrophy.
PGT-SR – Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Structure Rearrangement – Previously part of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).
PGT-SR detects structural abnormalities in the chromosomes. In some cases a man or woman may produce sperm/eggs with section of chromosomes that are rearranged which may create unbalanced chromosomal embryos resulting in pregnancy loss and an increase of offspring with higher chances of down syndrome or leukemia. This test is often used to diagnose intended parents who have experienced multiple miscarriages and fertility issues.