Compassionate Transfer and In Vitro Fertilization: Difficulties Discarding Potential Children

Abstract: There are over a million frozen embryos in the USA. Many people who have opted for IVF have difficulty deciding what to do with the remaining embryos, and 20% of patients simply keep their embryos frozen indefinitely, raising ethical and logistical issues for fertility clinics. The high rate of indefinite freezing may be due to indecision and dissatisfaction with current options, in which IVF embryos can be discarded in the lab, offered for adoption or donated to research.

A fourth, less known, option may be more tenable to some IVF patients. It is a procedure whereby in vitro-created embryos are thawed and transferred into the patient’s body during an infertile window, resulting in the loss of the embryo. Although it is not commonly offered, and some physicians consider the procedure “a waste of time, money, and a farce” that produces the same end result as laboratory disposition, patients who request it report that the option feels more personal, natural or respectful. For some, it better aligns with their religious values.

In this paper, I will consider the benefits and risks of making compassionate transfer a standard disposition option, to address the issue of excess unclaimed embryos. Benefits include actual reduction in unclaimed embryos, promoting fairness among patients, and increasing patient agency. Risks include the wasting of resources, a reduction in the number of embryos made available for research and co-option by lobby groups and politicians to justify increased reproductive restrictions.