Ask whether a person will travel with your embryos, whether they'll avoid X-ray, how long the dry shipper holds temperature, how custody is documented, and exactly what happens if a flight is cancelled. Clear, specific answers are a good sign. Vague ones are worth questioning.
1. Will a person travel with my embryos?
This is the biggest difference between providers. Some send the dry shipper unaccompanied through a cargo or parcel network. Others, like Vessel, have a courier carry it door to door. Good answer: "Yes, one named specialist collects it, travels with it and hands it over."
2. Will the shipper be checked as baggage or X-rayed?
A hand-carry courier should keep the shipper in the cabin and out of the X-ray scanner. Good answer: "It stays with the courier in the cabin and doesn't go through X-ray." Read more in can frozen embryos go through airport security?
3. How long does the dry shipper hold temperature?
The shipper should comfortably outlast the journey, with days to spare for delays. Good answer: a validated shipper, a clear hold time measured in days, and a journey planned well inside it.
4. Can I see a temperature record?
A data logger records the temperature inside the shipper throughout the trip. Good answer: "Yes, every shipment carries a data logger and we'll share the record with you and both clinics." That's how Vessel works.
5. How is chain of custody documented?
You want signed handovers between named people at collection and delivery, not just tracking scans. Good answer: "The releasing clinic signs custody to the courier, the receiving clinic signs for it, and you get written confirmation."
6. Who will I actually be talking to?
Transfers involve several parties and timings can move. One contact who knows your case is far easier than a general inbox. Good answer: "One dedicated specialist from your first call to delivery."
7. What happens if a flight is delayed or cancelled?
Delays happen. What matters is the plan. Good answer: "The courier stays with the shipper, rebooks the next safe option and updates you and both clinics. The shipper holds temperature for days, so there's a wide margin."
8. What's included in the price?
Ask which costs are the courier's and which the clinics will charge separately, such as release, preparation and intake fees. Good answer: a clear, itemised quote with no surprises. Our cost guide lists the fees to ask clinics about.
A few more worth asking
- Do you work directly with my clinics, or do I need to coordinate everything?
- Have you travelled my route before, especially for international transfers?
- How quickly do you reply to enquiries?
- Can you work with my surrogacy agency's case manager?
We're happy to answer every one of these. Ask us anything, or read more about our embryo courier service.
