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Past Article of the Month
Originally Published 06/02/2009
Frozen Embryos: An Ethical Dilemma
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What do you wish for when you do an IVF cycle? Aside from the obvious result, that you or your partner will become pregnant, you probably hope to produce lots of embryos. If you are lucky enough to get pregnant, you may want to use the frozen embryos to expand your family later on, or if you dont get pregnant this cycle, trying again with a frozen cycle is less expensive and less taxing on your body. Having more embryos gives you a sense of hope and possibility for the future.
But having embryos in the bank can create an ethical dilemma. What do you do if your family feels complete and you still have frozen embryos? The disposition of unused embryos is not an easy decision. Other than keeping them frozen ad infinitum, there are four different possibilities that one may choose:
1. Thaw and dispose
2. Donation to another couple
3. Donation to scientific research
4. Use the embryos when there is no possibility of conception
While some people may opt to simply thaw and discard excess embryos, others may regard this action as tantamount to killing a person. It may be difficult to look at ones offspring and realize the potential for life. If discarding embryos feels morally wrong, one could donate them to another couple struggling with infertility. But this creates other questions and concerns: the potential for a biological sibling to be born with different parents in a different household can feel bizarre and uncomfortable. What, then, is the relationship, if any, between the siblings, the biological parents, or the two sets of parents?
Another option is to donate embryos for research. Advocates of this approach feel that they are doing something constructive with their embryos. They feel positive knowing the embryos will be used to further the understanding and treatment of various medical conditions. Again, others may be uneasy with donation to science, as the embryos will ultimately be destroyed.
So much of these decisions entail ones fundamental ideas of what constitutes the beginnings of life. Prior to the technology of IVF, these embryonic cells were not available and could not be considered a commodity. It can be unnerving to feel as if one is playing God in making these decisions. Some people get around this unpleasant decision by using the embryos when there is no chance of getting pregnant. The embryos are thawed and transferred to the woman at a time in her menstrual cycle when the likelihood of implantation is, for all intents and purposes, nil.
At the beginning of IVF treatment, the hope is to produce as many embryos as possible. It is ironic that what was once such a desirable outcome can feel nightmarish at the end of treatment. The moral and ethical concerns that accompany these decisions can feel overwhelming. It is important for individuals to thoroughly examine their thoughts and feelings to ensure they have no regrets. Couples should talk through their personal viewpoints with each other in order to come to an agreement. It is not uncommon for individuals or couples to seek counseling with a mental health professional or clergy person to help with these difficult choices.
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