Moving Your Embryos to Long-Term Storage: What I Did (and What You Should Know)
If you conceived through IVF and have leftover embryos, you probably know this feeling:
You feel lucky.
You feel grateful.
And you also feel… stressed.
Every month, the storage bill shows up.
And every month, you think:
Are we having another baby soon?
How long should we wait between kids?
What if something happens to the embryos?
Why does this feel so heavy?
It’s a good problem to have.
And it’s still stressful.
As an infertility therapist in Boston — and as someone who has done IVF myself — I recently moved my embryos from Boston IVF to New England Cryogenic Center for long-term storage.
I want to walk you through exactly what I did, because this process can feel confusing — and strangely lonely.
This isn’t a medical question.
But it’s definitely an emotional one.
Why I Decided to Move Them
After having my daughter, we weren’t ready to do another transfer. Life felt full and beautiful — and also busy.
We didn’t have a clear plan for our remaining embryos.
But the monthly storage fees at our clinic kept pushing me into decision mode before I was ready. Every bill felt like pressure to figure out our whole family plan immediately.
What I really wanted wasn’t an answer.
I wanted time.
So we moved them to a long-term storage facility with a lower annual cost. I’m honestly looking forward to finishing my last 6-month payment and then having about 2.5 years before I need to think about this again.
Maybe by then my daughter can convince my husband we should have another child. (Half joking.)
Step-by-Step: How the Transfer Worked
Here’s exactly what I did.
1. I Contacted the Storage Facility
I reached out to New England Cryogenic Center and asked about:
Annual pricing
Payment plans
The transfer process
They sent a contract. My husband and I both had to sign it, since we legally both “own” the embryos.
2. I Contacted the Transport Department at Boston IVF
Not my nurse. Not my doctor.
I contacted the transport team. They sent:
Transfer paperwork
Instructions for coordinating with the new facility
This part felt intimidating, but it was straightforward once I knew who to email.
3. We Got the Forms Notarized
Yes — notarized.
My husband and I went to our local bank together. Since embryos are shared tissue, both parties typically must sign in front of a notary.
It felt official. And a little emotional.
4. The Facilities Coordinated the Move
The storage center helped clarify how to complete the clinic’s paperwork correctly.
We were notified of the transfer date.
Then:
Our storage billing from Boston IVF stopped.
Billing from New England Cryogenic Center began.
That was it.
Once everything was in motion, it was smoother than I expected.
The Emotional Part No One Warns You About
Even though this was mostly a financial and timing decision… it brought up feelings.
Moving embryos can feel like:
Admitting you’re not ready for another baby
Admitting you might be done
Or postponing a decision you’re scared to make
You can feel grateful and burdened at the same time.
As an infertility therapist and therapist for women in Boston, I see this often. Embryo decisions pull people into emotional extremes:
“We’re definitely having another.”
“We’re definitely done.”
But most people are in the messy middle.
And the messy middle is allowed.
If You Just Want to Buy Time
Moving embryos to long-term storage doesn’t mean you’ve made a final decision.
It means you’re giving yourself breathing room.
Sometimes that’s the healthiest thing you can do.
Last of my 6 payments to NECC!
If This Is Bringing Up Dread
If the monthly bill makes your stomach drop…
If every conversation about embryos turns into tension…
If you’re thinking in all-or-nothing terms…
You don’t have to sort through that alone.
As an infertility therapist in Boston, I help women and couples slow this down and think clearly — not from panic, not from guilt, not from pressure.
You’re allowed to take your time.
You’re allowed to not know yet.
If you’re feeling emotionally tangled up around embryo decisions, you can schedule an appointment and we’ll sort through it in a steady, grounded way.
