National Survey Reveals Growing Preference for Human Embryo Donation/Adoption among Americans, According to Nightlight

Nearly 70 Percent of Americans Prefer Frozen Human Embryo Adoption Alternative
to Embryo Donation for Stem-Cell Research
FULLERTON, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
In a recent national public opinion survey, a significantly higher proportion of
American adults would choose to place frozen human embryos with infertile
couples for the purpose of bearing a child. Interestingly, the survey also
revealed that twice as many Americans read or heard about human embryos in
connection with stem cell research than in connection with embryo donation or
adoption.

Conducted in May and June 2009, the survey, "Public Opinion Regarding the
Disposition of Frozen Human Embryos," found that a significantly higher
proportion of American adults (68.8 percent) prefer frozen human embryo
placement with other families, but less than one out of five (19.5 percent)
prefer donation of the embryos for research.

Although 88 percent surveyed had heard about human embryos in the past 6 months,
less than half (37.1 percent) heard about them in connection with donation or
adoption. More than twice as many Americans (82.2 percent) heard about human
embryos in connection with stem cell research.

A January 2005 survey of respondents in six Southern California counties found
that a majority (58.6 percent) expressed a personal preference for placing
embryos with other families, while 31.4 percent favored donating embryos for
research. The current 2009 survey results represent a 10 percent growth in
preference for human embryo donation or adoption, over embryo donation for
research purposes.

Other key findings of this survey include:

* More than 75 percent of those surveyed perceived frozen human embryos in
long-term storage as a very important or somewhat important issue.
* Preference for donating embryos to another infertile couple was the majority
response for every group and sub-group (i.e. education, self-described political
and social outlook, religious affiliation, frequency of attendance at religious
services and number of young children in the family), except the sub-group of
"very liberal" among self-described political and social outlook respondents.
Even the sub-group "very liberal" preferred donation to an infertile couple
(49.1 percent) over donation for research (43.4 percent).
* Half (50.4 percent) of survey respondents prefer that abandoned embryos be
donated to an infertile couple to use to become pregnant, with less than a third
(31.1 percent) preferring that they be donated for research.
* When asked the question, "How do you characterize your personal belief or
philosophy regarding the point at which embryos are thought of as human lives,"
the largest proportion (42.6 percent) chose conception, followed closely by
viability of pregnancy (30.4 percent). Fewer respondents chose the point when an
embryo was transferred to the woman`s womb (13.8 percent) and after the birth of
the child (13.2 percent).

Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by grant
#1EAAPA081009-01-00in collaboration with Nightlight Christian Adoptions, the
2009 public opinion survey was administered to a national random sample of
English-speaking adults, 25 to 56 years of age residing in households with
telephones.Please contact Jeff Dillon at (970) 663-6799 for an electronic copy
of the report.

for Nightlight
Leisa Brug Kline, 949-413-4447
leisabrug@aol.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009