Freezing Your Embryos Opens The Doors To New Options.
If you have undergone IVF treatment that resulted in the preservation of embryos, gametes, or genetic tissue, freezing your unused genetic material is not the end of the process. In fact, it’s just the beginning of several different paths for you to consider.
Q: WHY ARE EMBRYOS, GAMETES, AND TISSUE FROZEN?
A: There are several reasons people choose to freeze unused embryos and genetic material:
Future Family Planning. Genetic material can remain frozen for many years, even decades, and still be viable. This means an individual or couple looking to grow their family in future years may be able to use embryos, gametes, or tissue when they choose. This is especially helpful when a patient has been diagnosed with cancer, and is able to preserve genetic material for later use in the event their treatment should affect their fertility.
Donation to Others. While many people may feel that their family is complete, and may not plan to use their frozen genetic material themselves, it is possible to store them for others who are experiencing fertility issues.
Donation to Research. Embryos can be donated for the purposes of scientific research at the behest of the embryos’ owner(s). Research can range from causes of infertility to the role of genetics in human development, but all research must be within the legal limits of embryonic research set forth by state and federal law.
Moral and Religious Beliefs. Many people consider discarding frozen embryos as destroying the potential for life. Freezing embryos indefinitely, or until deciding how to use them, is an option for those whose beliefs prevent them from discarding unused embryos.
Q: HOW CAN I MANAGE MY EMBRYOS AND GENETIC MATERIAL AFTER THEY’RE STORED?
A: Most clinics and cryobanks will ask you to sign a consent form which will present options regarding what should happen to your embryos if you or your partner were to divorce, die, or become unable to make decisions for yourself, and how the embryos can be used in the future.
BUT CONSENT FORMS CAN ONLY OFFER LIMITED OPTIONS: Dispose, Donate to another, Donate to research.
The Fertility Trust is different.
Q: THEN WHY DO I NEED THE FERTILITY PRESERVATION TRUST?
A: Flexibility. Each person is unique, with individual life circumstances which affect their wishes regarding the maintenance and disposition of their embryos and gametes. These wishes evolve over time, and people need flexibility to amend these wishes as life circumstances change. You maintain full control of the Fertility Preservation Trust and are able to amend it at any time without having to revisit the clinic or cryobank.
The Fertility Preservation Trust also allows you to provide more detailed instructions regarding future maintenance or disposition than is not usually feasible through the clinic consent form, such as marital status or religious preference of donees, as well as geographic location of donees, among other specifications. The consent form expires at death, but the Fertility Trust remains in existence to carry out your wishes for up to 360 years in the future, or longer in some states.
Legal Security. The Fertility Trust provides an increased level of legal assurance during difficult circumstances, such as divorce and death. In the past, courts have been forced to interpret consent forms, which has resulted in varied and unpredictable rulings among courts and among states. However, every state has trust law, and courts are accustomed to interpreting trust language based upon the law.
Privacy. Since trust assets are not considered probate assets at death, the probate court is not involved in decisions concerning preserved embryos and gametesupon death. This not only reduces court involvement, but it also preserves the your privacy because probate assets are often made public during the administration of the estate.
Q. WHAT IF I’VE SIGNED A FORM AT THE CLINIC BUT WANT TO ESTABLISH AN FERTILITY TRUST?
A.By the terms of the Fertility Trust, your wishes, with specific regard to the maintenance and future disposition of your genetic material, will replace the wishes reflected on the consent form. The clinic will be provided with the information necessary to effectuate this intent.
Would you like to learn more about the Fertility Preservation Trust? Schedule a free consultation today by visiting trustfertility.com. Your DNA is precious. It’s time to plan for the future.