More than 1 million embryos created at the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinics in Britain are being destroyed at an incredible rate over the past 14 years, according to official figures.

Recent figures from Department of Health have revealed that around 2,137,924 embryos were created using IVF treatment between 1991 and 2005, but about 1.2 million of those were never used.  Most of the extra embryos created in clinics are destroyed within days of being created, while others were frozen, which are destroyed if they are not used in 10 years.  The amount of the wastage has fuelled concerns from politicians and infertility groups.

Lord Alton, the independent peer, who obtained the figures after tabling a parliamentary question, said embryos were being destroyed “at an incredible rate”. Various Infertility groups are encouraging people for donating IVF embryos and want couples who have not succeeded in IVF to have the chance to use embryos from couples who have produced children.