This is a timely episode as the HFEA has just announced a change in the law for the storage of our frozen eggs, embryos, and sperms. From 1 July 2022, all patients can store their eggs, sperm, and embryos for their own treatment for up to 55 years, you just must make sure you provide consent every 10 years. Frozen Embryos are a topic that I do find quite triggering to be honest, as we didn’t go on to use ours. We donated them to science which is something I have spoken about on this podcast before.  Frozen embryos cause a lot of anguish to fertility patients when they don’t know if they can handle more treatment or if they can’t afford it, but it feels so unfair not to hold on to this precious material. But then as the popularity of IVF continues to grow and become more aware of it and have more access to it and sadly need it, there ultimately becomes more and more embryos in storage. We speak to embryologist Giles Palmer about this issue 

What was discussed: 

• The anguish having frozen embryos has on people 
• How it feels 
• Reference to paper Giles wrote 
• How each country has its own laws on the storage of embryos 
• The growing inventory of eggs and sperm around the world and every clinic is talking about 
• Storage fee that is attached  -how that is communicated with the patient 
• Compassionate transfer 
• Single embryo transfer, fertility preservation - all leading to a growing inventory
• 300% increase in embryos stored over 5 years 
• If you weren’t pregnant 75% of patients go back for the embryos
• If they were pregnant to live birth 16% go back 
• Giles spoke about how a new Dewer bought every year  - to store the embryos and he had to kn0ck down a wall to store them. The problem for many clinics - problem do they store in-house or off-site at a bio depositary 
• How to deal with issues when storage time is up
• Can’t store samples after consent is up
• Paper said 25% of samples - never be used 
• Embryos are yours to take elsewhere if you want to move them from your clinic 
• Seed Ships 

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Giles Palmer on Insta

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HFEA press release