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11 March 2000

To: All Persons Responsible

Dear Colleague,

STATUTORY STORAGE PERIOD OF EMBRYOS

Recently it has come to the attention of the HFEA that there may be some confusion with respect to the statutory storage period of embryos, especially those created using cryopreserved sperm. This letter is being circulated to all centres to clarify the situation.

All embryos may be stored for five years in the first instance. The five year storage period starts from the date the embryos were created and frozen.

The situation is exactly the same for embryos created using frozen donated sperm. These embryos may be cryopreserved for five years following their creation, irrespective of the date when the frozen sperm was stored.

As you are aware, there are circumstances in which embryos may be frozen for longer than five years. These circumstances are defined in regulations issued in 1996. A copy should be found in your centre's HFEA manual. It must be remembered that embryos created using donated gametes may only have their storage period extended if the donor(s) has consented to embryos created using their gametes being stored for longer than five years.

I hope this letter is helpful.

If you have any further questions, please contact either Danielle Marx (020 7539 3308) or Ginny Shires (020 75393311) at the HFEA.

Yours sincerely,

Suzanne McCarthy
Chief Executive

Page last updated: 24 August 2012

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