Couples may adopt frozen embryos

Childless couples could be offered one or more of 3,000 frozen embryos now in storage at fertility clinics where contact has been lost with the biological parents, it has been suggested, writes Liz Hunt.

Health ministers are considering the "adoption" proposal made by Comment on Reproductive Ethics (CORE), described as a non-religious, non-political lobby group which wants more open discussion of the ethical issues surrounding test-tube babies - including length of embryo storage - and other fertility treatment. Alternatively, CORE is suggesting that the abandoned embryos be made wards of court.