Asian immigrants to the United States are less likely to donate cryopreserved embryos for research use

ObjectiveTo determine whether there are ethnic differences in the proportion of IVF patients donating excess cryopreserved embryos for use in research.DesignRetrospective.SettingUniversity clinic.Patient(s)Four hundred consecutive patients undergoing IVF.Intervention(s)None.Main Outcome Measure(s)Embryo disposition plan reported on the cryopreservation consent form (disposal, donation for research, or donation for therapeutic use).Result(s)Compared with Europeans or Asians born in the U.S., Asians born outside the U.S. were less likely to opt to donate excess embryos. Research donation was highly associated with interest in participation in clinical research.Conclusion(s)Decreased donation of excess embryos for research among Asians born outside the U.S. may relate to religious, sociocultural, language, or other undescribed factors. Targeted educational strategies may be critical to the development of a diverse pool of embryos available for research.