Breaking Up with IVF Free for membersMidwife and former front-line IVF clinician Dr. Jennifer Mercier joins Dr. Naomi Whittaker for a candid Save the Uterus Club conversation. 
Masterclass in Endometriosis & Surgery 9 sectionsComprehensive guide for patients preparing for endometriosis surgery. 
Hormones Through the Lifespan Free for membersA comprehensive overview of hormonal health across a woman's life, menstrual cycles, common conditions, and the transition to menopause, presented by Dr. Ana Garcia, OB/GYN. Ethics and Policy Reproductive Ethics
Committee members: Judith Daar, Paula Amato, Jean Benward, Lee Collins, Joseph Davis, Leslie Francis, Elena Gates, Sigal Klipstein, Barbara Koenig, Laurence McCullough, Richard Reindollar, Mark Sauer, Rebecca Sokol, Sean Tipton
RRM Academy Synopsis
A 2016 opinion from the ASRM Ethics Committee holds that giving spare embryos to other patients is ethically appropriate. The committee also holds that the word adoption is wrong for embryos and should be avoided.
“The use of the term 'adoption' for embryos is inaccurate and should be avoided.”
Quoted verbatim from this paper.
This is a committee opinion, the official position of the ASRM Ethics Committee. The conclusions rest on ethical argument, the legal definition of adoption, and statements from other groups about embryo status. The committee bases its view of the word "adoption" on its own earlier opinion about embryo status. The committee also cites ACOG, the HFEA and the Inter-American Court, adding reasons about sentience, individuality and growth potential. The committee notes that the opinion reflects its own members' views and calls it one standard among several in practice.
The opinion concerns extra frozen embryos. Extra embryos arise in IVF. IVF bypasses infertility without resolving why conception fails. Restorative reproductive medicine evaluates both partners and treats the cause first.
Building families through the adoption of children has been supported by human society throughout history. The ethical appropriateness of patients donating embryos to other patients for family building, or for research, is well established and is affirmed by this Committee. The use of the term ''adoption'' for embryos is inaccurate and should be avoided. This document replaces the ASRM Ethics Committee statement by the same name, last published in 2013 (Fertil Steril 2013;99:1846-7).
