We recently got to know that an infertile couple has frozen a set of embryos before undergoing in-vitro fertilization. Post the fertilization procedure, the couple is able to create a family.

Researchers at Dalhousie University conducted a survey and reported that as of August 2003, there were total 15,615 embryos in the storage at 13 IVF clinics. As per a piece in the Vancouver Sun, it has been reported that there are total 33 IVF clinics in the country today and approximate 60,000 cycles of IVF have taken place since 2003. Experts have also predicted that the number of cryopreserved human embryos has now probably multiplied to triple the 2003 count.

Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, which is famous for its fertility and obstetrics programs, is planning and looking forward to launch an embryo donation program. Upon the situation Ellen Greenblatt, Medical Director of Mount Sinai’s Centre for Fertility and Reproductive Health, said to the reporter that “their families are complete, the only other option for what to do with the embryos is either store them indefinitely, which is really just delaying a decision, having them destroyed or donating them for use in research studies — and some people aren’t feeling comfortable with any of those options.”

Embryo donation is definitely a good initiative, which may fuel ongoing debate over the ethics of various new forms of medically-assisted family-making.