IVF Couples Divorcing Often Discard Frozen Embryos, Study Finds

Thousands of embryos frozen during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments are being discarded when couples separate, according to a recent study.

The research, which examined records from the London Women's Clinic between 2019 and last year, found that 66% of couples who had separated after storing embryos opted for them to be discarded. Only one in five chose to keep the embryos, while 4.2% agreed to donate them to their ex-partner.

Embryos are created during IVF and can be frozen for later use if a treatment cycle is unsuccessful or if a couple wishes to have more children. When both partners contribute to the egg and cannot agree on the fate of stored embryos after separation, a 12-month cooling-off period is initiated. If no agreement is reached within this timeframe, the embryos are typically discarded.

In cases where only one partner contributed the egg, with a donor involved, that individual retains sole authority over consent, including the right to withdraw permission for the ex-partner to use the embryo.

Researchers noted that these findings "highlight the emotional, ethical and legal complexities of consent after separation." They stated in the online journal Reproductive Biomedicine that "When couples separate, cryopreserved embryos often become sources of conflict… with most couples choosing to discard stored embryos rather than donate or retain them."

The study suggests that discarding embryos might serve as a form of closure for couples ending a relationship, describing it as carrying a "more intimate sense of ending a potential life."

With regulatory changes allowing embryo storage for up to 55 years, clinicians are increasingly navigating complex scenarios involving long-term reproductive potential, evolving partner dynamics, and legal consent. The researchers recommended that clinics should offer counseling at intervals during storage, and especially at the point of relationship breakdown.

In 2024, an estimated 53,000 individuals in the UK underwent fertility treatment, a number that has tripled since the 1990s. Approximately 3% of babies born today are conceived through IVF treatment.