ASPIRE members are encouraged to have their say about draft global consensus guidelineson minimal standards of surrogacy.  

It is an initiative propelled by the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction and a global collaboration between ASPIRE, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS).

Consultation on the draft statements (which number 21) is open for feedback for a limited period between 7 November 2026 and 21 November 2026. They can be accessed at https://aspire.quickridge.in/survey/global-consensus-surrogacy

The statements attempt to tackle inconsistent or inadequate regulation of surrogacy, particularly in settings where there is disempowerment of women and girls including violenceand/or abuse and exploitation of surrogates.

Australian fertility specialist, Dr Clare Boothroyd, the Immediate Past President of ASPIRE, said the guidelines address specific issues including:

• awareness and avoidance of human trafficking;
• the welfare of children born as a result of surrogacy;
• conditions regarding consent and support for surrogates, including their physical and psychosocial welfare; and
• the physical and psychological status of intending parents and their capacity to raise children resulting from surrogacy into adulthood.

“These are truly landmark guidelines applying to surrogates, surrogacy agencies, commissioning parents and medical experts, and they will provide guidance for policy makers,” Dr Boothroyd said.

“It is a unique document representing an international consensus of the professionals involved in surrogacy and I urge members of all the societies and the IFFS to participate in the consultation period to provide perspectives from the Asia Pacific region and beyond.”

ASPIRE was well represented at the 2026 Scientific Congress and Expo of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland from 24 to 28 October.

Dr Clare Boothroyd, ASPIRE’s Immediate Past President attended the Congress with other Board members Professors Arthur Chung, Jung Ryeol Lee and Yutaka Osuga.

Additionally, Professor William Huang presented on behalf of ASPIRE in an ASRM Congress roundtable session entitled Decoding Spermatogenesis: Real Time Assessment of Meiotic Activity During TESE.

The roundtable session featured researchers and clinicians evaluating the quality and quantity of spermatogenesis in a testicular sample.

Professor Huang from the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taipei has renowned clinical expertise in male reproductive medicine and andrological surgery.

He said: “The roundtable session demonstrated how to conduct an onsite, real-time assessment of the quality and quantity of spermatogenesis in a given testicular sample retrieved via testicular biopsy, TESE or mTESE. 

“Interpretation can be completed in less than three minutes. This approach offers solid evidence of the presence of mature sperm or post-meiotic germ cells and fosters better communication between andrologists and embryologists. 

“It also significantly saves time and cost while providing high sensitivity and specificity for confirming mature sperm. The methodology is particularly useful for intraoperative decision making during mTESE.”

The ASRM Scientific Congress and Expo were presented to the theme of Discovery, Innovation and Advancement featuring dynamic sessions, global perspectives, real-world approaches and collaboration on the discoveries and innovations that are driving our field forward.

The importance of the patient’s voice and things people wished their fertility teams understood came into sharp focus in a fascinating ASPIRE ED Talks presentation in September.

It featured an insightful conversation between Rebecca Moore, Chair of ASPIRE’s Reproductive Nurses Special Interest Group, and patient advocate Kim Unwin with the pair addressing issues including:

• why patient experience matters;
• anxiety peaks in waiting for treatment outcomes;
• communication and focus on tone, language and empathy
• assumptions and education gaps;
• making time and helping patients ask questions; and
• how small shifts make a big difference in patient centred care.

Rebecca said while protocols and outcomes are important what really matters to patients is how care is delivered by nurses, doctors, embryologists and counsellors.

“It is so important to think about the words we use and their tone, and our acknowledgement in quiet moments of the challenging journey that patients have embarked upon,” she said.

“We need to provide support and guidance and deliver news with clinical and emotional confidence and empathy,” she explained.

Kim acknowledged the efforts of fertility clinics to understand patient perspectives saying the future of fertility journeys would be better for it.

“A successful pregnancy is the ultimate goal in fertility treatment, but at times patients worry that they are not being heard, especially those who are on long journeys of cycle after cycle.

“From a clinical point of view things can be quite explanatory from one appointment to the next, but there is a lot of waiting with unknowns and anxiety.

“Emotionally it weighs your down and whether or not you have a baby you are a changed person after fertility treatment.”

Kim’s lived experiences and Rebecca’s thoughtful questioning revealed valuable insights into what people wish their fertility teams truly understood about uncertainty, loss of control, communication and emotional well-being during treatment.

The ED Talks episode called on fertility professionals to consider how greater awareness and empathetic communication can transform patient experience, trust and care.

It was another example of the value of the ED Talks podcast series featuring in-depth discussions, thought-provoking interviews and valuable takeaways on various topics related to reproductive health and infertility.