The Donors Have Spoken

What currently happens to the frozen embryos of infertile couples?
There are no national data about how many embryos are donated. There are data from the United Kingdom, where we know, for example, that over 3,000 embryos have been donated for research last year and about 230 were donated to other couples for adoption. We have no idea what the situation is in the United States because we keep no comparable records in this country.

Are infertility patients currently informed of their option to donate embryos to stem-cell research?
We don't know with what frequency the option is put forward. One of the reasons why these data are of such interest is that we have so little data from the U.S. ... We're hoping this work will not only bring attention to that third voice, but will also help make it easier for fertility patients to understand their options and easier for them what is for many a very difficult decision.

© 2007