This episode of the Progress Educational Trust (PET) podcast discusses what happens to unused IVF embryos after fertility treatment is completed.

The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET), with contributions from:

⚫ Joanne Leitch (Lead Clinician at Fertility Scotland)

⚫ Anne Chien (Counsellor at Ninewells Hospital's Assisted Conception Unit)

⚫ Sharon Martin (Business Development Manager at Fertility Network UK)

Fertility patients may have embryos left in storage at the end of their treatment. If these patients consider themselves to have completed their family – meaning that they are unlikely ever to wish to use the remaining embryos to have further children – then they have the following five options.

⚫ Donate the embryos for use in research.

⚫ Donate the embryos for use in training.

⚫ Donate the embryos to other patients who face difficulty in conceiving a child.

⚫ Consent to the embryos being allowed to perish.

⚫ Delay or avoid the decision.

Many people find this choice difficult to make. Consequently, they 'choose' the final option – or perhaps more accurately, the final option occurs by default – although in the UK, they are required by law to renew their consent every 10 years (for up to an overall maximum of 55 years), if they wish storage to continue.

People with unused embryos in storage currently receive little or no information or support – either immediately after their fertility treatment, or when the end of a 10-year storage period is imminent – to help them make a decision.

PET is grateful to the Scottish Government for supporting this discussion.

PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast.

Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.