Many Favor Embryos for Stem Cell Studies

Most infertility patients favor using leftover embryos for stem-cell research or selling leftover embryos to other couples, a U.S. study says.

Lead author Dr. Tarun Jain of the University of Illinois at Chicago says the researchers surveyed 1,350 women who attended a university hospital-based fertility center in Illinois. The survey included 24 questions on patient demographics, obstetric and infertility history, and opinions about using extra embryos for stem cell research and selling extra embryos to other couples.

Jain says it was estimated in 2002 that 396,526 embryos were in storage at U.S. fertility clinics. The embryos may be used for future pregnancy attempts, donated to other couples or agencies, given to researchers, or discarded, Jain says.

The survey says 73 percent of the 636 respondents favored using leftover embryos for stem-cell research.

When asked if selling leftover embryos to other couples should be allowed, 56 percent of respondents who stated a definitive opinion answered yes.

The findings are published in the journal Fertility and Sterility.