Snowflake children
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Snowflake children is a term used by organizations that promote the adoption of embryos left over from in vitro fertilization to describe children that result, where the children's parents were not the original cell donors. These embryos are transferred to infertile couples via embryo adoption, although the legal process of taking ownership of an embryo differs from that of traditional adoption. According to a CBS News article dated July 28, 2005, the term "Snowflake" was coined by the first agency to provide the transfer service, Nightlight Christian Adoptions. Ninety-nine children have been born from this program. [1]
Members of the Nightlight Christian Adoptions, the Embryo Adoption Awareness Campaign, and others now also use the term for the frozen embryos themselves.
While the term "Snowflake babies" has been used to describe babies born in this manner, the first snowflake children are no longer babies. According to the CBS News article, the first snowflake baby, Hannah, was born in 1998 to Marlene and John Strege.
President George W. Bush has made public appearances together with snowflake children while speaking about his support for adult stem cell research and his opposition to embryonic stem cell research.
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[edit] Criticism of the term
Members of the Nightlight Christian Adoptions and the Embryo Adoption Awareness Campaign use the term "snowflake baby" as a synonym for any embryo that has been frozen. [2] However, some groups that are pro-choice believe use of the term, and the related term embryo adoption, are controversial. [3] [4] [5] [6]
[edit] Parody of the term
The term, snowflake children, is actually an outgrowth of the idea that the embryos are "frozen and unique," thus they are similar to snowflakes.[6] However, the term was satirized on a July 20, 2006 airing of The Daily Show when host Jon Stewart discussed the President's appearance with the Snowflake children, saying they are "so named because no two are alike, and they're all white."
[edit] External links
- Nightlight Christian Adoptions Snowflakes Program
- Embryo Adoption Awareness Campaign
- Embryo Adoption Agency
[edit] Notes
- ^ Nightlight Christian Adoptions
- ^ LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2005; STEM CELLS AND SNOWFLAKE BABIES. Religious Freedom Coalition (27 May 2005). Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
- ^ Arthur Caplan, Ph. D. (24 June 2003). The problem with ‘embryo adoption’: Why is the government giving money to ‘Snowflakes?’. MSNBC. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
- ^ Susan L. Crockin (4 December 2005). How do you 'adopt' a frozen egg?'. Boston Globe. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
- ^ GRG Editorial: White House Snow Flakes in May?. GERONTOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP (25 May 2005). Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
- ^ a b Margaret Carlson (9 June 2005). `Snowflakes' Cloud Debate on Stem-Cell Bill: Margaret Carlson. Bloomberg News. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
