Most people going into IVF are so focused on getting pregnant that they don’t think much about what happens if it works — and they end up with extra frozen embryos they’re not sure what to do with.
It’s a real situation. According to SART data, more than 1.5 million embryos are currently in frozen storage in the United States. If you complete IVF successfully, or decide to stop trying, you’ll eventually face a decision about those remaining embryos. Here’s what your options are — and what each one costs.
The Ongoing Storage Reality
First, the baseline cost. Embryo storage isn’t free, and it doesn’t stop accumulating.
Most IVF clinics include the first year of storage in the base cycle fee or the freezing fee. After that, annual storage charges apply:
| Storage Fee Type | Typical Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Embryo storage at IVF clinic | $500–$1,200/year |
| Long-term storage at a cryobank | $300–$600/year |
| Transfer to a different clinic | $200–$500 one-time transport fee |
A family that completes IVF at 34, has two children by 38, and doesn’t decide what to do with three remaining embryos until 45 has paid $5,500–$8,000 in storage fees on top of everything else. Embryos can remain viable indefinitely in proper storage — there’s no biological deadline forcing a decision — but the financial meter keeps running.
Clinics typically send annual reminders and invoices. If you stop paying, most clinics will send multiple notices before taking any action — but eventually, unpaid accounts lead to embryos being discarded. Make a conscious decision, don’t just let it lapse.
Option 1: Continue Storing (Indefinitely)
You keep paying. The embryos stay frozen. This is the default for couples who aren’t sure yet — they’ve completed their family but aren’t ready to decide. Medically, this is completely safe for the embryos; properly vitrified embryos don’t degrade over time.
The cost: $500–$1,200 per year until you make another decision.
Option 2: Donation to Another Family (Embryo Donation)
Some families choose to donate unused embryos to another person or couple who cannot use their own gametes. This is sometimes called “embryo adoption” by the receiving family, though legally it’s a donation.
What it costs:
- Donating through your clinic: Often $0–$500 in administrative fees
- Working with a matching agency: $3,000–$8,000 in agency fees (paid by the recipient family, not the donor in most arrangements)
- Legal fees: $500–$2,000 for a donation agreement (recommended regardless of agency involvement)
What you need to know: Embryo donation is legally complex. In most states, you’ll need a contract specifying that the recipient couple assumes all parental rights. The FDA requires infectious disease screening for donors. Some clinics facilitate anonymous matching; others connect you with recipient families. Organizations like the National Embryo Donation Center and Snowflakes Embryo Adoption handle matching.
This option requires emotional readiness — you are potentially creating a genetic sibling to your own child(ren) who will be raised by another family.
Option 3: Donation to Research
Unused embryos can be donated to scientific research, including embryonic stem cell research, fertility research, or laboratory studies. This option is available at academic medical centers and some large fertility clinics.
What it costs: Typically $0 — in many cases, research programs cover the paperwork and processing fees.
What you need to know:
- Federal funding restrictions mean that federally funded labs may not accept embryos for certain types of stem cell research; privately funded research programs have more latitude
- You’ll sign consent forms specifying how the embryos can and cannot be used
- Once donated, you have no further rights or obligations
For couples who feel uncomfortable with the idea of their embryos becoming someone else’s child but still want them to serve a meaningful purpose, research donation is often emotionally easier.
Option 4: Compassionate Transfer (Symbolic Disposition)
A compassionate transfer (also called a compassionate transfer or “humanitarian transfer”) involves transferring embryos to the uterus at a time in the cycle when pregnancy is impossible — allowing the embryos to naturally pass rather than be destroyed in the lab.
This option exists primarily for patients whose religious or personal beliefs prevent discarding embryos in a laboratory setting, but who also aren’t pursuing donation.
What it costs: $500–$2,000 for the transfer procedure itself (usually billed as a modified FET fee).
What you need to know: Not all clinics offer this. You’ll need to specifically ask. Some fertility practices that serve observant Catholic, Orthodox Jewish, or Evangelical Christian patients are more familiar with this option.
Option 5: Discarding (Discontinuing Storage)
You can simply request that the clinic properly dispose of the embryos — ending storage and the associated fees. Clinics follow established protocols for disposal, which doesn’t involve any medical procedure.
What it costs: Usually $0–$200 in administrative fees.
What you need to know: This is often the hardest option emotionally, even when it’s the most logistically straightforward. Many couples delay this decision for years, accumulating storage fees, because they’re not ready to make it. RESOLVE (the National Infertility Association) offers counseling resources specifically for embryo disposition decision-making.
Don’t make embryo disposition decisions in isolation. A licensed therapist who specializes in infertility (look for RESOLVE-affiliated counselors) can help you and your partner work through the emotional dimensions before you sign any paperwork.
Making the Decision
| Option | Typical Cost | Key Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Continue storing | $500–$1,200/year | No decision required; cost accumulates |
| Donate to another family | $0–$500 (donor side) | Genetic child raised by others |
| Donate to research | Usually $0 | No family use; meaningful purpose |
| Compassionate transfer | $500–$2,000 | Religious/values-based; not all clinics offer |
| Discard | $0–$200 | Permanent; often emotionally difficult |
There’s no universally right answer. What matters is that you make the decision intentionally — not by default because you stopped paying. Give yourself the time to decide, but give yourself a deadline for making that decision. Your wallet, and your peace of mind, will thank you.