It is important to understand your storage arrangements at Fertility Associates.
Storage 10 year time limit
A 10 year Storage Time Limit was recently introduced by ECART (the Ethics Committee of Assisted Reproductive Technology). The Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (HART) Act now limits storage of sperm, eggs or embryos to a maximum of ten years initially. The clinic can help you apply to the ethics committee if you want to extend storage before you reach the ten year limit. To do this just fill in the form below.
Good to know:
- This legislation applies to all patients – both publicly funded and private, including our international patients.
- The first expiry date for storage in New Zealand was 22/11/14.
- The HART Act allows frozen material to be stored for up to 10 years without restriction. If you would like to store material for longer than 10 years, you will need to obtain approval from the ECART. Applications must be received and considered by the ECART before the expiry date. Six months in advance of expiry is preferred by ECART.
- The start date for storage of embryos, that have involved previously stored sperm or eggs, is the date the eggs or sperm were first frozen.
- For example: If you had embryos created in 2010 using sperm frozen in 2008, the 10 year expiry date for the embryos would be in 2018. 10 years after 2008.
- Patients may consider extending the storage of their material and in some circumstances may have the option of donating it.
- Extended storage is not publicly funded and will incur a cost for additional storage.
- Applications to extend storage needs to be made on the ECART ‘Extending Storage Application Form’ and by the patient themselves (or his or her representative), not by the clinic. You can link to this form below under Helpful Info.
- ECART does not charge a fee for considering applications to extend storage.
- ECART uses guidelines created by the Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ACART). ACART’s guidelines on extended storage are available on their website. Link to this below.
- If extended storage is declined, you forget to apply OR the clinic can not locate you, your frozen sperm, eggs, embryos, testicular tissue and ovarian tissue will be discarded at expiry.
- The clinic has up to six months to dispose of the material, but it cannot be used after the expiry date even if it has not yet been discarded. As per the regulations.
If you wish to discard your frozen material or have concerns about your frozen storage please contact the storage coordinator by filling in the form below or you can call 0800 023 409.
Please keep your contact details up to date
We may discard material if we cannot contact you after 2 years. It is important that we have you keep us informed of any change to your contact details/address. You can do this by filling in the form below: