How Can You Part With the Embryo That Could Have Been Your Child?

One of the first documents patients sign when starting in vitro fertilization asks them to consider the very end of their treatment: What would they like to do with extra embryos, if they have any? The options generally include disposing of them, donating them to science, giving them to another patient, or keeping them in storage, for a cost.  

The idea that one might end up with surplus embryos can seem like a distant wish for those just beginning IVF. During treatment, eggs are removed from a woman’s body and fertilized with sperm in the lab to make embryos. These will then be transferred to her uterus, typically one by one, until she gets pregnant. But with advances in reproductive technology, many patients end up with extra embryos after this process is over. Deciding what to do with the leftovers can be surprisingly emotional and morally thorny; even those