Risk Management for Natural Disaster in Assisted Reproductive Technology: from the Experience of the Great East Japan Earthquake

On March 11, 2011, we experienced the Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami followed by the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. As a witness of this natural disaster, I keenly realized it is essential for us to take measures under an assumption that we might face a natural event even more disastrous than the present one. We need to have our own strategy, manual, regular emergency drill, and precaution for accidents that may happen at assisted reproductive technology facilities and make changes based on our knowledge and experiences accordingly. Even at the time of a disaster, patients, staff, facilities, fresh and frozen embryos, oocytes and spermatozoa should be safely managed, while the distributed replicated storage system, patient's privacy protection and emergency transportation to other hospitals need to be carried out as best as possible. Each staff member should understand and do what they need to do quickly and flexibly according to circumstances. For future contingencies, it is crucial for all of us to secure some supplies such as drinking water, food, flashlights, radios, batteries, fuel, etc. at clinics. Staff members should ensure that they know when and how to return home and that they have adequate supplies at home.