Thousands of embryos preserved at fertility clinics are being discarded following divorce proceedings, according to a recent study.IVFThe research reveals that two-thirds of couples who split after undergoing fertility treatment choose to have their leftover embryos destroyed.
After completing IVF treatment, many couples freeze embryos for future use in case the initial attempt fails or if they wish to expand their family later.fertilityWhen both partners provided eggs and cannot agree on what to do with stored embryos post-separation, a mandatory 12-month waiting period is initiated. If no resolution is reached by then, the embryos are destroyed.
In cases where only one partner contributed genetically and a donor was involved, the contributing individual holds full decision-making power, including the ability to revoke consent for the former partner to access the embryo.
The researchers analyzed data from fertility clinic records to assess these outcomes.
If only one partner provided the egg using a donor, that individual maintains control over consent, including the right to revoke permission for the former partner to continue using the embryo.
The scientists reviewed documentation at theLondonRecords from the Women’s Clinic spanning from 2019 to the previous year.
A total of 141 couples who had frozen embryos at the clinic had ended their relationship. Among them, 66% chose to have the embryos destroyed, 20% decided to keep them, and 4.2% donated them to their former partner.
Certain embryos were transferred to other couples undergoing fertility treatment.
The LWC researchers stated that the results underscore the emotional, ethical, and legal challenges surrounding consent following a separation.
In their publication in the online journal Reproductive Biomedicine, they noted: ‘Upon splitting up, frozen embryos frequently become points of contention… with the majority of couples opting to destroy stored embryos instead of donating or preserving them.’
‘As regulations now permit storage for as long as 55 years, healthcare providers are encountering increasingly intricate situations involving extended reproductive possibilities, shifting relationship statuses, and the ongoing validity of consent.’
‘Clinics ought to offer regular counselling throughout the storage period, particularly when a relationship ends.’
The researchers suggested that choosing to discard embryos might serve as a way to achieve closure, explaining that ending a relationship can feel like an emotional release, while disposing of embryos may represent a more personal acknowledgment of the end of a potential life.
In 2024, 53,000 individuals in the UK underwent fertility treatment—a figure that has tripled since the 1990s. Approximately three percent of current births are conceived through IVF.
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