This form contains information regarding the storage of embryos. Please read it carefully and if you have any queries please contact a member of staff.
What is embryo storage?
Following your egg collection and embryo transfer you may have extra good quality embryos remaining. You may wish to store your embryos for use in the future, or if an embryo transfer is not possible due to unforeseen circumstances or illness, or for personal reasons e.g., religious reasons.
Embryos are carefully cryopreserved and stored in liquid nitrogen and then warmed ready for use. By taking precautions and selecting only good quality embryos for storage, around 95% of embryos survive the store-warm process. However, approximately 5% do not survive. The embryologist will offer advice regarding the suitability of surplus embryos for storage.
Patients with embryos suitable for storage can only do so if they (or the egg or sperm provider in the case of embryos created using donated eggs or sperm) have been screened negative for HIV, Hepatitis B and C. This is to minimise the risk of cross contamination between samples in the storage tanks. Everyone is screened routinely at this unit, and the costs of these screening tests are included in your treatment. It is important to be aware that a positive test result may mean that we are unable to store your embryos.
The success rates from cryopreserved embryos are comparable to those from fresh embryos. Our most recent success rates using cryopreserved embryos are displayed on our noticeboard. You may also request a copy from a member of staff. At present there is no evidence to suggest an increased risk of abnormalities or illnesses in children born as a result of cryopreserved embryos.
Consent
We can only store your embryos if we have consent from both gamete providers i.e., the person who provided the eggs and the person who provided the sperm used to make the embryos. If you decide to store your embryos you will need to complete several consent forms before we can proceed. If your embryos were created using donor gametes (sperm or eggs) we must check that the donor has consented to embryo storage.
The law permits patients to store embryos for use in their treatment for any period up to a maximum of 55 years from the date that the embryos are first placed in storage. However, you will need to renew your consent every 10 years. We will contact you regarding this at the appropriate time. Consent to storage for the first time is given on HFEA WT, MT and WPT forms.
You may consent to a shorter time period if you wish; however, please be aware that these are legal documents, so if both you and your partner do not complete new storage consent forms before the renewal period expires, then we will be legally obliged to dispose of your embryos.
If donated eggs or sperm have been used to create the embryos then storage cannot exceed the period to which the donor has consented to storage.
You may withdraw your consent to storage at any point during the storage period by completing and signing a withdrawal of consent form. We will write to you on an annual basis whilst you have embryos in storage with us. If at any time you decide that you no longer wish to continue to store the embryos for your own use, then we will discuss the options available to you. This may include removing the embryos from storage, donation to training, donation to research, or donation to others.
You will also need to specify what you would like to happen to the embryos if you should die or become mentally incapacitated. The options would be to allow the embryos to perish, donate the embryos for use in training, continue storing the embryos for your partner’s use, or donate the embryos for use by another couple/surrogate. This final option will require further appointments, as both you and your partner will need to be registered and screened as donors, undergo specific counselling and complete additional consent forms. This will also incur additional costs. This decision could have legal implications and will be discussed with you at length.
Use Of Embryos In The Event Of Death (Posthumously) Or In The Event Of Mental Incapacity
Your partner can only use your embryos posthumously or in the event of your mental incapacity, if you have provided written consent to storage and use in these circumstances, and your partner is named on your consent form.
You can also be named as the legal parent of any resulting child provided you have specified this on the appropriate consent form. However, this does not transfer any inheritance or other legal rights to the child.
The embryos can be used by your partner in treatment, for up to 10 years from the date of your death or medical certification regarding your mental incapacity. However, it is not unlawful to store the embryos for an additional 6 months after 10 years from the date of death (although this cannot exceed the maximum storage period of 55 years from date of first storage). Your partner would be contacted 12 months before the end of this 10-year period and informed that the embryos are due to be disposed of.
If the embryos were created from stored gametes (eggs or sperm) after your death or mental incapacity certification, then those embryo can only be stored and used for 10 years from death or mental incapacitation, NOT 10 years from embryo creation.
If a patient regains mental capacity within 10 years of certification then they should inform us to discuss whether to renew their consent to storage, otherwise the embryos will be removed from storage 10 years after the mental incapacitation certificate.
If you do not have a partner currently, but you subsequently meet a partner who you want to be able to use your embryos in the event of your death or mental incapacity, you must inform us and update your consent form as soon as possible. Partners who are not named on your consent form would not be legally able to use embryos, even if you had consented to use in the event of death or mental incapacity.
If treatment after your death or mental incapacitation would involve a surrogate, then additional consent forms and screening must be completed now to allow treatment to take place. We can give you further information about surrogacy arrangements and counselling if required.
If the living gamete provider withdraws their consent to storage at any point in the posthumous 10-year storage period, embryos will be removed from storage and disposed of.
Renewal of Consent
The consent renewal process is set out in law. We will contact you at least 12 months before the end of the 10-year consent period to seek your renewal consent to store for up to 10 more years. At the end of the renewal period, if we have not received written renewed consent from both gamete providers then it will be deemed to have been withdrawn, and the embryos will be removed from storage and disposed of twelve months after the end of the consent period (six months after the end of the renewal period).
There is a separate patient information sheet on Renewing Consent to Storage that details the process of communication and renewal.
Funding
Self-funded patients can chose to cryopreserve surplus embryos, but this is subject to the embryo quality meeting our minimum criteria for cryopreservation. This is to optimize the survival rates.
There is a fee for cryopreserving and storing embryos for the first year, and additional annual fees for each subsequent year. This is payable at the start of each years storage and covers up to one year’s additional storage. We do not offer storage on a pro rata basis if less than 12 months storage is required. You may therefore wish to make a note of your storage anniversary to avoid entering into an additional years storage, the whole of which may not be required. Please see our Price List for details of the current fees.
NHS patients are eligible for the cryopreservation of surplus good-quality embryos as part of their fresh cycle of treatment. If you are an NHS patient and your circumstances change (e.g., separate from partner, move to another health authority, or have a live birth) and you no longer meet the criteria for NHS treatment then any continuation of treatment or annual storage will be on a self-funded basis.
The requirement to pay for storage is independent of the HFEA legal consent period and we can only continue to store your embryos for the period specified in your consent if all storage fees are paid. Non-payment of storage fees may result in referral to a credit agency and removal of embryos from storage.
Use of frozen embryos
A Frozen Embryo Treatment (FET) cycle is less invasive than a fresh cycle of IVF and has similar success rates. For self- funding patients, it is also less costly.
There is a separate patient information sheet regarding using frozen embryos for your own treatment.
Other Issues To Consider
- Both gamete (egg and sperm) providers must consent to the storage of embryos and, if applicable, renew the consent to enable continued embryo storage.
- If one of the gamete providers withdraws their consent, the law allows for the embryos to continue to be stored for up to 12 months (providing this does not extend past the renewal period), to give the individuals suitable time for reflection and possible reconciliation. If after this 12 month “cooling off” period, differences have not been reconciled, then the embryos must be destroyed. NB. This also applies to sperm and egg donors.
- It is important that the Unit have the most recent contact details for you – if we are unable to contact you before the renewal period ends, by law the embryos must be removed from storage. Also, it is important to notify the Unit of any changes of circumstance, such as separation from your partner.
- It is important to be aware that there is a remote possibility of loss of stored material, potential risk of cross-contamination between samples, and deterioration or loss of viability of gametes or embryos during the process of cryopreserving, storing, and thawing.
If there are any issues you do not understand or would like to discuss further, please don’t hesitate to contact the Unit on 0191 4452768. Please be aware that independent counselling is available to you at any time to discuss any of the issues mentioned above.