Ownership of Reproductive Materials Policy

PURPOSE

Ovation Fertility understands the importance of respecting personal choices with respect to reproductive materials.  Given the importance around ownership of reproductive materials and how that ownership relates to the ability of individuals to make decisions with respect to disposition, use, and transfer of reproductive materials, Ovation Fertility believes that expectations and responsibilities of ownership should be addressed at the outset of fertility treatment. Ovation Fertility’s ownership policy reflects our desire for autonomy with respect to one’s own genetic material and the general principle that combined genetic material (i.e., embryos) should be jointly owned, absent a donation or other transfer. The policy described herein shall be the standard policy of Ovation Fertility and all ownership determinations will follow this policy unless a separate election is made.  Due to the variety of circumstances and contingencies that could affect ownership, Ovation Fertility has made the decision not to accept outside agreements. 

Record keeping in all aspects of IVF procedural practice must be thorough and complete. Specimen ownership and identification is imperative for proper record keeping and identification of reproductive materials throughout the entire IVF process.  There must be traceability between initial ownership consents, the cryostorage consents, embryo data sheets, cryopreservation records, and cryostorage inventory. Due to the importance of indisputable evidence of ownership of reproductive materials, Ovation Fertility requires standardized determination and documentation of ownership of all reproductive materials, from initial encounter with the client(s) through final use, disposition, transfer, or disposal of reproductive materials. 

POLICY

Ovation Fertility has established a policy for ownership of all reproductive materials. Clients will be asked to acknowledge review and understanding of this policy and document the ownership of any and all reproductive material through the Ownership of Reproductive Materials Policy and Agreement form. This form will also require that the client(s) indicate their acceptance of Ovation’s standard policy.  As noted previously, Ovation Fertility cannot accept outside contracts or consents. All ownership instructions will be set forth on Ovation the Ownership of Reproductive Materials Policy and Agreement form.

Ovation Fertility’s standard reproductive materials ownership policy is as follows:

GAMETE

Intended parent 1	Intended parent 2	Egg source	Owner of eggs	Sperm source	Owner of sperm
Female or Male IP1	N/A	Any	IP1	Any	IP1
Female IP1	Male IP2	IP1	IP1	IP2	IP2
Female IP1	Male IP2	IP1	IP1	Anonymous	Joint
Female IP1	Male IP2	IP1	IP1	Known[1]	Joint
Female IP1	Male IP2	Anonymous	Joint	IP2	IP2
Female IP1	Male IP2	Known*	Joint	IP2	IP2
Female IP1	Male IP2	Known*	Joint	Known*	Joint
Female IP1	Male IP2	Anonymous	Joint	Known*	Joint
Female IP1	Male IP2	Known*	Joint	Anonymous	Joint
Female IP1	Male IP2	Anonymous	Joint	Anonymous	Joint
Female IP1	Female IP2	IP1	IP1	Anonymous	Joint
Female IP1	Female IP2	IP1	IP1	Known*	Joint
Female IP1	Female IP2	Known*	Joint	Anonymous	Joint
Female IP1	Female IP2	Known*	Joint	Known*	Joint
Female IP1	Female IP2	Anonymous	Joint	Known*	Joint
Female IP1	Female IP2	Anonymous	Joint	Anonymous	Joint
Male IP1	Male IP2	Anonymous	Joint	IP2	IP2
Male IP1	Male IP2	Known*	Joint	IP2	IP2
Male IP1	Male IP2	Known*	Joint	Known*	Joint
Male IP1	Male IP2	Known*	Joint	Anonymous	Joint
Male IP1	Male IP2	Anonymous	Joint	Known*	Joint
Male IP1	Male IP2	Anonymous	Joint	Anonymous	Joint

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[1] In all cases with known donors, if the directed donation form is specific to only one person in the intended couple, then only that intended recipient will have ownership and the material will not be owned jointly. Indicated by *.