Related Experiment Videos
'Compassionate transfer': an alternative option for surplus embryo disposition.
Kirsten A Riggan1, Megan Allyse1
1Biomedical Ethics Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, USA.
Human Reproduction (Oxford, England)
|April 17, 2019
Summary
Compassionate transfer offers a natural way for patients to grieve embryos lost during fertility treatment. This procedure may ethically extend fertility care, respecting patient autonomy and emotional well-being.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Bioethics
Background:
- Fertility treatments often result in unused embryos.
- Current embryo disposition methods may not adequately address patient grief and autonomy.
- Compassionate transfer is proposed as an alternative to traditional embryo disposition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce compassionate transfer as a novel embryo disposition option.
- To explore the ethical considerations and potential benefits of compassionate transfer.
- To argue for its integration into fertility care for specific patient groups.
Main Methods:
- This study is a conceptual and ethical analysis.
- It reviews patient perspectives on embryo disposition.
- It examines the alignment of compassionate transfer with principles of patient-centered care.
Main Results:
- Patients perceive compassionate transfer as a more natural and meaningful way to process the loss of a potential child.
- The procedure can facilitate grieving and provide emotional closure.
- Ethical arguments support compassionate transfer as respecting patient autonomy and psychosocial health.
Conclusions:
- Compassionate transfer can serve as an ethical and patient-centered method for embryo disposition.
- It offers a valuable alternative for individuals undergoing fertility treatments who seek a more natural grieving process.
- Integrating compassionate transfer respects patient autonomy and enhances psychosocial support within fertility care.