Fate of stored embryos: our 10 years experience.
Couples accepting embryo cryopreservation signed an informed consent in which directives were given in case of death, divorce or absence. In this study, we tried to analyse our experience in terms of benefits achieved and to understand the feelings of couples about their embryos. (1) The majority of couples decided, or simply let, their embryos be discarded. In fact, a considerable proportion of them (25.1%) did not want to assume the responsibility of signing the disposal of their embryos. (2) Embryo donation is the most uncommon and difficult choice to make (6.0%) and this ought to be an important point to think over while dealing with law design. (3) An unexpected proportion of couples, who did not conceive, still have their embryos stored and this forces us to reflect on the difficulty of getting over the treatment failure.
Cattoli
M
M
Tecnobios Procreazione, Centre for Reproductive Health, Via Dante 15, Bologna 40125, Italy.
Borini
A
A
Bonu
M A
MA
D015925:Cryopreservation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*