Should frozen embryos be considered children?

No, frozen embryos are not children, and anyone that thinks they are, either has a screw loose, or has been indoctrinated by religious extremists!

I don’t think they should be valued at the same level, for example if I were to save a child or a frozen embryo from a fire I’d choose the child but there should be protection laws in place for the frozen embryos for other circumstances

Personally, No, they are artificial, not natural.. but if it helps those who can’t give birth for both biological or anatomical reasons - we can give the choice.

No, I don't think they ahould be considered children. However, if frozen embryos are destroyed accidentally, like in the example case, then the owners of those embryos should be able to sue for damages.

I do not believe that an embryo is a child however, if an individual has frozen their eggs with the intent to have a child later in life, then it is the owner of the egg's discretion, and they should be treated with respect as should anyone possession.

I don't really have a take on this, I guess they are potential children. I wouldn't support someone burning down an embryo storage centre, that would be cringe of them but I also wouldn't consider that killing 10,000 children

They should be considered a life/a potential for life and therefore treated as such. But they are not a child.

Depending on the circumstances, Embryos should be valued as a life, but unless used or intended for use, No.

They are potential children, but in the same way a brain dead person's family can choose to continue life support, a family should be able to choose whether to keep an embryo -- which doesn't even have a consciousness yet -- or not.

After insemination and birth they should be considered children. But prior to that frozen embryos are not children and are a biological component.

No, but they should be considered foetuses and there must be strict protocols in place to prevent damage to or destruction of frozen embryos without express parental consent

The biological parents should have the right to make decisions for still frozen embryos. Including the right to relinquish responsibility should another person want to use the embryo.

I believe that embryos which are a clump of cells that would soon develop into a baby. But considering it has not yet developed, I wouldn't say that the frozen embryos are considered to be human just yet.

Should not be considered as children in the context of abortion, but should be if they are deliberately frozen for the use of having children via IVF.

No, but they should be considered to be part of the woman they came from and treated as an extension of their person

Embryos not in utero currently have no realistic life expectation. They should not have greater rights than a naturally conceived embryo that has yet to establish itself in the placenta

In the case from the US recently where frozen embyros were destroyed, I understand describing them as children for the loss that the parents will have felt. However, when it comes to rolling back women's rights and abortion, I do not believe that embryos should be considered children.

No, from my point of view, a living being is something that can survive on it's own, without artificial assistance

this is intentionally misleading. A frozen embryo is not a child as such, but is a form of life that will become a child in time

Yes , only because U have chosen to freeze them for them to become babies, it could be for medical reasons why U did this or an age thing

fertilised embryos should be considered children, but unfertilised embryos should be considered cells.

I don't think so, as I would define a child as a human baby who has successfully been delivered from its mothers womb.

They are children and should therefore be treated with human dignity and not used for scientific experiments. If unused they should be offered to IVF patients as a gift. Once conception has taken place and the fetus is implantable, it must be considered viable and no longer available as cells are.

No, they should be considered property so any damage could be claimed under destruction of property. Therefore parents have rights and a safety net but no one can be prosecuted for ‘murder’ if anything happens.

The amount of money this costs should mean that procedures were in place to protect the frozen embryo. I don’t view any embryo as a child but the parents deserved justice and compensation.

Frozen embryos shoud have special legislation to protect from the development of human biologically based materials; especially human based AI.

yes but freezing embryos should only be considered for those where life-saving medical treatment will cause infertility

To a limited degree (i.e. that they are treated with care and given a certain amount of recognition) but not to the extent cited in the example

Yes, except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother or embryo

In this context, yes. In the context of abortion, no.

Yes, and only the amount needed should be made in the first place.

In as much that they should be taken care of as much as possible, but no-one is responsible if an accident happens as in Alabama.

No, there should be a distinction between children and embryos but I still feel there should be rights and laws for embryos.

No, they should be protected by special laws regarding humanity. So that they aren't used for unethical purposes especially with regard to the development of biologically assisted AI.

I am pro-choice but understand that embryo do not remain viable and then it would be inappropriate to afford them the same rights as a child

I would have to know more about how the freezing process affects the embryos.

This is a difficult question. Without a womb, they cannot form into babies and be born. However, I think both the mother and the father should have the right to keep them and implant them in a womb. Neither the father or the mother should be allowed to unilaterally terminate and dispose of the frozen embryo. And certainly the companies shouldn't, there should be insurance and back up plan that if a company goes under where these "future children" or "potential children" are placed safely. Only if both the mother and father in agreement terminates should it be disposed of (in effect killed) :(

I don't think they should be considered children but there should be protection in place for parents to seek damages if frozen embryos are destroyed

This is a hard question to answer, especially as someone who has undergone IVF. I suppose frozen embryos should be treated in a similar way to foetuses. The parent has the right to terminate them if they absolutely feel it is the right thing to do. However, the destruction of frozen embryos (along with unborn babies) by a person who is not the legal parent, should be considered manslaughter, if not murder.

Not necessaily 'children' but embryos should have some form of legal protection to prevent them being destroyed

Totally dependent on the feelings of the individuals involved. Some may believe the embryo is a child and others may not. Both views are completely legitimate

Yes, but, like abortions, you still have the right to do what you want with them and shouldn’t be classed by law as children. I approach stuff like this from an ethical standpoint not a legal one.

Very hard to answer as they are not fully developed and formed and have had no experience of life yet

It’s a life even if it’s not a child by definition.

If it is the 'last' hope a couple had and ivolved a lot of investment, yes. If it is in some way forcing women into doing things they don't want.

No but if a companie does not store the frozen embryo and it gets damaged then this should be considered a loss

it it has been fertilised and past a certain stage of development then yes

No

The UK should reject the notion that a frozen embryo is a child and instead uphold the legal and ethical principle that embryos are a unique form of human life with special status that grants couples and individuals full autonomy over their use, storage, and donation, thereby empowering personal choice and dismantling a hierarchical system that would seek to impose a top-down, one-size-fits-all moral and legal definition.