Practical steps to reduce preventable risk in IVF

Preventing errors in fertility care isn’t about blame. It’s about building systems and practices that help clinicians and families reduce risk, improve clarity, and increase confidence in every step of the IVF process.

This page explains what patients, clinics, and policymakers can do now to strengthen safety and transparency.

For Patients and Families

You don’t need a medical degree to protect yourself. There are practical steps families can take to understand safety practices and make informed decisions.

Ask About Clinic Safety Practices

When choosing or working with a clinic, consider asking:

  • How do you document and verify embryo handling at each step?

  • Do you use electronic tracking systems (e.g., barcodes or RFID)?

  • How are witnessing and identity checks performed?

Clinics that can explain their safety protocols clearly are demonstrating a culture of accountability and transparency.

Request Clear Verification Steps

Before embryo transfer or sensitive procedures, ask the clinic to walk you through:

  • Who will verify identities?

  • What tools or checks are used?

  • How will these steps be documented?

Making these conversations part of your care plan helps you stay informed and reinforces the importance of verification.

Keep Personal Records

Maintaining your own copies of:

  • Consent forms

  • Labels and identifiers

  • All communication with clinic staff

can help if questions arise later and ensures you retain your own view of the process.

For Clinics and Care Providers

Clinics are on the front lines of safety. Many already follow good practices. The following strategies help standardize those practices and reduce avoidable risks.

Strengthen Documentation and Tracking

Effective documentation is the backbone of safe care:

  • Use electronic tracking systems to minimize transcription and labeling errors

  • Maintain clear, time-stamped logs of all critical handling steps

  • Ensure all staff follow standardized procedures consistently

Consistent tracking practices reduce uncertainty and improve accountability.

Build Redundancy into Verification

No single person or step should hold the entire safety burden:

  • Require multiple independent confirmations at key steps

  • Implement automated alerts for discrepancies

  • Include standardized checklists for embryo handling

Redundancy is a principle borrowed from other high-stakes fields like aviation and surgery because it systematically reduces the impact of human error.

Prioritize Staff Training and Culture

Human factors matter:

  • Regularly train staff on verification and tracking protocols

  • Encourage open reporting of potential safety issues

  • Review errors or near misses non-judgmentally to improve practices

A culture of safety is built through consistent learning and continuous improvement.

For Policymakers and Regulatory Partners

Real prevention also requires supportive policy frameworks and accountability structures that encourage good practice across all clinics.

Promote Clear Safety Standards

Policymakers can help ensure that minimum expectations for safety and verification are part of licensing or oversight processes. Clear standards benefit everyone… patients, providers, and regulators.

Support Independent Oversight and Reporting

Mandating centralized reporting of significant errors (while protecting patient privacy) helps identify systemic issues and strengthens public trust.

Independent oversight bodies can:

  • Monitor compliance with safety standards

  • Collect data on adverse events and trends

  • Provide transparent reporting to patients and families

Why Prevention Matters

IVF has given hope and joy to millions of families. Even rare errors can have profound consequences when they occur.

  • No medical process is risk-free

  • Some risks can be reduced with better systems

  • Prevention is about intentional design, not fear

Improved safety practices protect both patients and clinicians by making processes clearer, more consistent, and more accountable.

Further Reading and Context