Decision making about frozen supernumerary human embryos

Abstract

Frozen storage of supernumerary in vitro fertilisation (IVF) embryos benefits patients, but when a decision is required for their disposal this may be experienced as a difficult, emotionally loaded process for many patients. There is the potential at several points for patients to become “stuck” in their decision making and a need for clinics to consider information provision, and implications and decision support counselling to patients in the aftermath of infertility treatment. This paper presents a review of studies about decision making for supernumerary embryos and the implications for counselling within clinics.

Keywords::

• Counselling
• embryo
• IVF treatment

Declaration of interest: The author reports no declarations of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.