O-317 Panel discussion: Refugee Embryos: Abandon or Rescue? what policies should nations with third party reproduction programs consider to repatriate the gametes of foreign couples

Abstract

Abstract Ukraine's large population, low salaries and medical expertise along with being one of just a handful of countries with laws regulating surrogacy for foreigners meant that following South-east Asian governments closure of unregulated surrogacy programs, Ukraine emerged in 2016 as the European hub for affordable surrogacy and Donor IVF programs for heterosexual married couples from around the globe. Thousands of infertile couples utilised Ukraine surrogacy programs over the following six years. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 it is estimated that over 30,000 embryos and gametes belonging to foreigners were in Ukraine storage facilities. Some of these have been temporarily re-located to safer cities or neighbouring countries. This session discusses the difficulties patients face in finding a new home' for these embryos, given the very limited number of countries with capacity and laws which support surrogacy programs. This discussion also considers the differences in individual countries own laws around the ability to accept embryos where anonymous donors were used and what national regulatory bodies could do to ensure these refugee embryos find safe harbour. Trial registration number