“programs or facilities may dispose of unclaimed embryos by removing them from storage and thawing without transfer.”
Quoted verbatim from this paper.
Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.
Abstract
Programs should create and enforce written policies addressing the designation, retention, and disposal of unclaimed embryos. In the absence of program-specific policies, it is ethically permissible for a program or facility to consider embryos to have been unclaimed if a reasonable period of time has passed since contact with an individual or couple; efforts as outlined in the consent form have been made to contact the individual or couple; and no written instructions from the individual or couple with dispositional control exist concerning disposition. In such cases, programs or facilities may dispose of unclaimed embryos by removing them from storage and thawing without transfer. In the absence of specific written instructions, unclaimed embryos may not be donated to others for reproductive use or be used in research. This statement replaces the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Ethics Committee document "Disposition of Abandoned Embryos" published in 2013.
Sigal Klipstein, Ricardo Azziz, Katherine Cameron, Lee Collins, Christos Coutifaris, Susan Crockin, Judith Daar, Joseph Davis, Ruth Farrell, Catherine Hammack-Aviran, Elizabeth Ginsburg, Mandy Katz-Jaffe, Jennifer Kawwass, Catherine Racowsky, Robert Rebar, Richard Reindollar, Ginny Ryan, Mary Samplaski, Peter Schlegel, David Shalowitz, Chevis Shannon, Sean Tipton, Lynn Westphal, Julianne Zweifel, 0000-0003-0284-2845
S Klipstein, R Azziz, Kathy Cameron, Kate Cameron, Katie Cameron, K Cameron, L Collins, C Coutifaris, Sue Crockin, S Crockin, J Daar, Joe Davis, Joey Davis, J Davis, R Farrell, Cathy Hammack-Aviran, Kate Hammack-Aviran, C Hammack-Aviran, Liz Ginsburg, Beth Ginsburg, Betsy Ginsburg, E Ginsburg, M Katz-Jaffe, Jen Kawwass, Jenny Kawwass, J Kawwass, Cathy Racowsky, Kate Racowsky, C Racowsky, Bob Rebar, Rob Rebar, Bobby Rebar, R Rebar, Rick Reindollar, Dick Reindollar, Rich Reindollar, R Reindollar, G Ryan, M Samplaski, Pete Schlegel, P Schlegel, Dave Shalowitz, D Shalowitz, C Shannon, S Tipton, L Westphal, J Zweifel
PMID 34148589 34148589 DOI 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.02.020 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.02.020 Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine et al. 2021, Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 2021
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2018·Fertility and sterility
Posthumous gamete (sperm or oocyte) retrieval or use for reproductive purposes is ethically justifiable if written documentation from the deceased authorizing the procedure is available. Retrieval of sperm or eggs does not commit a center to their later use for reproduction, but may be permissible under the circumstances outlined in this opinion. Embryo use is also justifiable with such documentation. In the absence of written documentation from the decedent, programs open to considering requests for posthumous use of embryos or gametes should only do so when such requests are initiated by the surviving spouse or partner. This document replaces the report of the same name, last published in 2012.
Contemporary practice in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) compensates for the attrition that occurs at each phase of the cycle. Every follicle does not yield an egg, nor does every egg fertilize. Of those that do, many fail to properly develop, and even fewer implant. Nevertheless, ART cycles usually result in more embryos than are needed for transfer. With clinical and laboratory advances in the field and the undeniable need to reduce the incidence of multiple gestation, we must focus increased attention on these “spare” or “extra” embryos and their fate.
The relative quality of extra embryos clearly influences their disposition. Although the pregnancy potential of any single embryo is always uncertain, a fragmented embryo from a patient over the age of 40 generally has less potential than a morphologically normal one from an egg donor. Data from 1996 SART registry (1) suggests that only 4% of transferred embryos from patients 39 years and older result in a child, whereas this number is approximately 12% in women under 35. Because most programs choose the highest quality embryos for transfer, potential implantation rates for spare embryos would be lower.
Registry data are invaluable to track progress in the field, but they do little to guide decisions concerning individual patients, because the implantation rate of any given embryo of reasonable morphology is either zero or 100%. In the absence of more reliable markers of implantation potential, we must assume that all transferred embryos can implant. . .
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2016·Fertility and sterility
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).
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2018·Fertility and sterility
Professionals who discover misconduct or other undisclosed information that would be material to the participation of another party (such as a donor, gestational carrier, intended parent, or lawyer) in an assisted reproductive technology arrangement should encourage disclosure to that party. In some instances, it is ethically permissible for the physician either to disclose material information to the affected party or to decline to provide care. In all cases involving the legal status or rights of the parties, referral to legal professionals is advised. This document replaces the document of the same name, last published in 2014 (Fertil Steril 2014;101:38-42).