Infertility Patients Favor Stem Cell Research

Most couples that have had to resort to in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques in order to have a child are in favor of stem cell research. When asked in a national survey what they might choose to do with their frozen embryos left over after they have successfully had a child, 60% reported that they were “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to donate them for stem cell research. In contrast, less than a quarter of the respondents planned to discard their frozen embryos, or expressed a desire to donate them to another couple.

Infertility patients are especially aware of the advances in science that have made it possible for them to have children. Perhaps they are just more grateful than most, but apparently most of them have resolved any internal moral dilemma over what to do with their leftover embryos. It is interesting, however, that most of them would rather donate their embryos to research than to know that their biological child was being raised by another couple.