Abandoned embryos in Brazil: advances in the decisions. Are we there yet?

• Published in: JBRA assisted reproduction Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 76 - 77
• Main Authors: Souza, Maria do Carmo Borges de, Antunes, Roberto de Azevedo, Mancebo, Ana Cristina Allemand
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Reprodução Humana (Brazilian Society of Assisted Reproduction) 2018; Brazilian Society of Assisted Reproduction
• Subjects: Brazil; Cryopreservation; Embryo Disposition - ethics; Embryo, Mammalian; Embryos; Female; Humans; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted - ethics; Brazil; Rio de Janeiro Brazil; Latin America
• ISSN: 1518-0557; 1517-5693; 1518-0557
• DOI: 10.5935/1518-0557.20180038

The Brazilian Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) on September 21, 2017, published its new Resolution, number 2168 (CFM 2017), regarding assisted reproduction procedures. When we perform a thorough analysis on the SISEMBRIO system, we observe the absence of information on the number of both fresh and frozen embryo transfers, which compromises the accuracy of the reports. Interestingly, Tonkens argues that willful embryo abandonment is morally unacceptable, because of the abandoner's unfair treatment of the clinic storing their abandoned embryos, the apparent lack of sympathy for the plight of other people like those responsible parents, who require assistance (e.g. donated embryos) in pursuing their family-building goals and the abandoners' failure to meet their responsibility for directing the handling of their embryo.