ASSISTED HUMAN REPRODUCTION: THE EUROPEAN LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Anesthesiologists in Samos, Greece refuse to participate in abortions

Published on: 04/06/2017

The anesthesiologists of the Samos Hospital have unanimously decided to abstain from anesthesia in abortions, except in the cases where there are medical reasons endangering the life or the health of the pregnant woman.

Symposium "Human Assisted Reproduction: A Demanding and Exciting Journey" honouring Professor Basil Tarlatzis

Published on: 04/06/2017

The Hellenic Society of Fertility and Sterility, in collaboration with the 1st Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, is organizing the International Symposium "Human Assisted Reproduction: A Demanding and Exciting Journey", honouring Professor and Member of the Laboratory Dr. Basil Tarlatzis. The proceedings of the Symposium will take place in English, on 9th-10th June 2017 at the Makedonia Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki.

Lesbians suing the New Jersey for discrimination in IVF

Published on: 07/09/2016

Two lesbian couples filed a lawsuit against the state of New Jersey protesting about discrimination in the insurance coverage of IVF: their insurance company essentially asked them to have sex with men to show that they are not fertile.
According to the lawsuit, the New legislation Jersey considers infertile only women who fail to conceive naturally after at least one sexual intercourse time without protection.

Scientists found what may be to blame for unexplained infertility many women

Published on: 09/07/2016

Italian scientists have discovered that a little-known member of the family of herpesviruses, the virus HHV-6A, infect the endometrium, the inner-lining 'of the uterus almost half of women (43%) suffering from unexplained infertility. The same virus is nonexistent in women that have no problem to have a child.

A historical Greek judgment for sex change without surgery

Published on: 06/07/2016

The County Court of Athens acknowledged that the right to the change of sex to civil status data and full names does not require surgical removal of reproductive organs. The decision has become final, ie it can no longer be challenged by ordinary appeal to a higher or to the Supreme Court.

Father should be allowed to apply for parental responsibility following surrogacy

Published on: 06/07/2016

The Court of Protection has granted an order for a declaration of incompatibility with ECHR rights of a section in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act on grounds of discrimination. This case concerned a child, Z, who was born in August 2014 in Minnesota, USA. Z was conceived with the applicant father’s sperm and a third party donor’s egg implanted in an experienced unmarried American surrogate mother, in accordance with Illinois law. Following Z’s birth, the father obtained a declaratory judgment from the appropriate court in Minnesota, establishing his sole parentage of Z. Following that court order, he was registered as Z’s father in Minnesota.

Surrogacy regulations bill signed into law by Gov. Edwards

Published on: 28/06/2016

Gov. John Bel Edwards has reversed course from his predecessor and agreed to create regulations governing surrogacy births in Louisiana.

Indian woman gave birth at the age of 70, breastfeeds her baby and feels “blessed”

Published on: 18/05/2016

Experts point out that serious questions are raised regarding the birth of a child by an elderly woman

Geneticist arrested for … eggs’ theft

Published on: 18/05/2016

A controversial geneticist, Severino Antinori, who became known for helping women over 60 years old to become pregnant, was arrested for stealing eggs from a patient.

Morocco, new bill against surrogacy ready

Published on: 02/04/2016

Morocco is ready to pass a law against surrogacy, said Health Minister Houcine El Houardi.

All Surrogacy Is Exploitation – the World Should Follow Sweden’s Ban

Published on: 16/03/2016

(The Guardian) – This week, Sweden took a firm stand against surrogacy.

Woman brings lawsuit for failing to detect carrier status

Published on: 23/02/2016

A woman is suing healthcare professionals in the USA for failing to detect that she was a carrier of cystic fibrosis (CF).

US military to offer egg and sperm freezing to service members

Published on: 23/02/2016

The US Department of Defense will offer to pay for active service members to have their sperm or eggs frozen in an effort to retain troops.

UK scientists gain licence to edit genes in human embryos for research

Published on: 06/02/2016

On February 1st, 2016, the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has approved an application by developmental biologist Kathy Niakan, at the Francis Crick Institute in London, to use the genome-editing technique CRISPR–Cas9 in healthy human embryos. Niakan’s team is interested in early development, and it plans to alter genes that are active in the first few days after fertilization. The researchers will stop the experiments after seven days, after which the embryos will be destroyed. The genetic modifications could help researchers to develop treatments for infertility, but will not themselves form the basis of a therapy. This approval represents the world's first endorsement of such research by a national regulatory authority.

French surrogate mother cheats clients

Published on: 06/02/2016

A French surrogate mother has been arrested for fraud after lying to two gay couples about the death of their children.

Τhe most productive British surrogate mother retired- She had 13 children for up to 20,000 euros each

Published on: 06/02/2016

The woman with the title of the most productive surrogate mother of Britain was forced to retire after doctors banned her to have another child. She had given birth to 15 children in 20 years.

Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS) is no longer an experimental procedure

Published on: 27/01/2016

On September 26th and 27th 2015, Virtual Academy of Genetics held its 1st meeting on Controversies in Preconception, Preimplantation and Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis. This meeting gathered together scientists from around the world to inform, discuss and consider many of the questions of our time in relation to genetics and the place of the new technologies in driving the future of medical practice in the field of human reproduction.

New IVF method could make babies healthier, experts believe

Published on: 27/01/2016

A new IVF treatment which allows the egg to be fertilised inside the womb rather than in a laboratory is being offered to potential parents in the UK for the first time. The method involves inserting a capsule containing egg and sperms cells inside a woman’s womb for 24 hours, enabling the embryo to develop. Doctors use a 1cm long and 1mm wide device called AneVivo during the procedure. After two to four days, doctors choose embryos which are healthy enough to be implanted into the lining of the womb, where it is hoped they will develop into a foetus.

Surrogacy comes to Vietnam

Published on: 27/01/2016

As Thailand closes it doors to commercial surrogacy, another South East Asian nation has tentatively begun to utilize surrogacy for couples unable to have children.

Genetic modification of human embryos at the gates

Published on: 19/01/2016

Researchers of the Institute "Francis Crick" in Britain say they are ready to start genetic modification experiments on embryos. This research will help according to the initiators the understanding of the early stages of the creation of life, the development of new effective treatments fertility and identify the causes leading to repeated miscarriages. This is a revolutionary but also quite controversial research on this and requires approval by the competent UK authorities to start. The research team has submitted an application to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and according to press reports the Authority decided to approve and invite researchers the next 24 hours to give further explanations before announcing its decision.

Framework rules for artificial insemination units

Published on: 06/01/2016

Order and rules in the operational status of insemination units puts the state with more than ten years delay in order to protect public health and the thousands of citizens fleeing a year (over 15,000 couples) in vitro fertilization to have children.

Two thirds of women "catch" a child to sixth attempt in vitro

Published on: 06/01/2016

But after the ninth attempt chances are now very small.Women who try to "catch" a child through in vitro fertilization, should not despair, if you fail the first few times. Two thirds of women finally achieve to sixth attempt, according to a major new British scientific research, which is patience and perseverance (to a limit).

Surrogacy laws are different from state to state in US

Published on: 06/01/2016

Surrogacy has always been a controversial issue worldwide. In the US, one of the most expensive places for commercial surrogacy, the procedure could be complex. This is because the laws can vary from state to state.

Mexican state votes to ban surrogacy for gay men and foreign people

Published on: 06/01/2016

A Mexican state legislature has voted to close the door to foreign couples and gay men looking to have a child by surrogacy.

Higher risk of psychiatric disorders found in children born to women with fertility problems!

Published on: 13/12/2015

Results from a large population study
Children born to women with fertility problems have a higher risk of psychiatric disorders than naturally conceived children. The increase in risk was described as "modest" by researchers from Denmark, but was found to persist throughout childhood and into young adulthood.

Woman sues clinic for failing to detect genetic carrier status

Published on: 13/12/2015

A woman is suing a fertility clinic in Australia for failing to detect that she was a carrier of a genetic mutation during pre-pregnancy testing, after her sons were later born with an inherited condition.

Should British surrogates be paid?

Published on: 13/12/2015

There appears to be significant support for an overhaul of UK surrogacy laws. Earlier this week the UK Working Group on Surrogacy Law Reform published a report with various recommendations. Interestingly, these did not include a US style commercial model of surrogacy. According to a press release published with the report,

Confronting commercial surrogacy on the stage

Published on: 27/11/2015

As infertile couples in the Western world become increasingly desperate for biological children of their own, the commercialisation of surrogacy is rapidly becoming a fast growing industry in India.

Supreme Court hints at ban on commercial surrogacy

Published on: 28/10/2015

The Supreme Court on Wednesday suggested a possible ban on commercial surrogacy as India is increasingly becoming a popular destination for the surrogacy tourism.

Suitability for assisted reproduction

Published on: 23/09/2015

In Victoria, when prospective parents want help from the medical profession to conceive, the state and the medical professions make decisions whether or not to provide people with IVF.

Case Parrillo v. Italy

Published on: 09/09/2015

In 2002 Ms Parrillo and her partner had recourse to assisted reproduction techniques and underwent in vitro fertilisation treatment (hereafter “IVF”). Five embryos were obtained, and were stored by cryopreservation.

“Superman” theme to be used by national UK sperm bank promotional campaign

Published on: 09/09/2015

A year after it was established, Britain’s national sperm bank has admitted it has only nine registered donors – prompting its chief executive, Laura Witjens, to urge men to prove their manhood by donating sperm. “If I advertised saying ‘Men, prove your worth, show me how good you are’, then I would get hundreds of donors,” she said. “That’s the way the Danish do it. They proudly say, this is the Viking invasion, exports from Denmark are beer, lego and sperm. It’s a source of pride.”

Nepal's top court orders suspension of surrogacy services

Published on: 01/09/2015

Nepal's top court has ordered a halt to commercial surrogacy services in the Himalayan nation until it rules on the legality of the practice, an official said Wednesday.

Australia to ponder sex selection

Published on: 01/09/2015

Sex selection is on the agenda in Australia. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has called for public comment on new guidelines for IVF clinics. The most contentious change involves removing a ban on destroying embryos because they are not of the desired gender.

Swiss court refuses to recognise surrogacy

Published on: 19/08/2015

Switzerland’s highest court has refused to recognise surrogacy. The Federal Court, which sits in Lausanne, was reviewing a case in which two male homosexuals obtained obtain a child with a surrogate mother living in California. Shortly before the child was born in 2011 the two men entered a civil partnership.

New Thai surrogacy law bans foreigners

Published on: 07/08/2015

New laws banning commercial surrogacy in Thailand have come into effect this week, ending access previously available to foreigners and gay couples.

UK: Court orders surrogate mother to hand baby to social parents

Published on: 07/08/2015

Lawyers are calling for rules surrounding surrogacy to be tightened up after a woman who had a child with a gay couple then refused them access was ordered to hand over the baby. According to the surrogate mother, she had entered into an artificial conception agreement with the man, which would see her acting as the “main parent and carer”. That was disputed by the child’s genetic father, who said the agreement was that he and his male partner would “co-parent” the girl, with the woman continuing to “play a role”.

France: Surrogate Children Win Legal Recognition

Published on: 06/07/2015

France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, on Friday granted legal recognition to surrogate children, in a major turnaround that will make their daily lives easier and could lead to greater acceptance of new forms of families.

High Court rules against mother wanting to use her deceased daughter's eggs

Published on: 28/06/2015

The High Court has ruled that a decision not to allow a mother to take her deceased daughter's eggs for fertility treatment overseas was lawful.

Woman gives birth after childhood ovarian tissue transplant

Published on: 11/06/2015

A Congolese-Belgian woman has become the first in the world to give birth to a healthy child after doctors restored her fertility by transplanting ovarian tissue that was removed and frozen when she was a child.

Israel evacuates babies of surrogate mothers from devastated Nepal

Published on: 11/06/2015

Nepal’s devastating earthquakes in recent weeks have brought to light its little-known surrogacy industry.Aboard an Boeing 747 repatriating Israeli citizens after the first quake on April 25 (in which an estimated 8,000 people died) were 15 babies born to surrogate mothers there. Eventually 26 babies arrived – and none of the mothers. Another 100 women pregnant with babies for Israeli clients remained behind.

Germany: 65 year old mother of 13 children, gave birth to quadruplets!

Published on: 01/06/2015

A 65 year old woman from Germany gave birth to quadruplets at a clinic in Berlin and became a mother for the 17th time as the RTL television network broadcasted Friday night to Saturday.

Italy: The prohibition on access of fertile couples with genetic pathologies to assisted reproduction is repealed.

Published on: 25/05/2015

Access prohibition on the techniques of medically assisted reproduction for fertile couples who are carriers of genetic diseases is repealed: from what is known, the Constitutional Court declared contrary to the law this provision of the Law 40/2004 and the prohibition of access to preimplantation diagnosis.

Surrogacy in Nepal

Published on: 25/05/2015

Same-sex marriage doesn’t really fall into the bioethics basket. However, the recent earthquakes in Nepal brought to light a link to the biggest social policy debate in the United States and Ireland at the moment.

IVF autism link vanishes when only one child born

Published on: 17/05/2015

Children conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART) may be twice as likely to develop autism.

Offer three IVF cycles now, Scottish Government told

Published on: 17/05/2015

A charity has called for all NHS Boards in Scotland to move towards offering eligible patients three full cycles of IVF.

My family: ‘My sister took year out of her life to help me have a baby’

Published on: 17/05/2015

Marie McPhilemy is used to hearing she’s the spitting image of her daughter.

US couple 'trapped' in Mexico following surrogacy law change

Published on: 17/05/2015

A US couple have been left without a birth certificate for their newborn son in Mexico after a sudden change in state law.

Same-sex couple awarded care of child in surrogacy dispute

Published on: 14/05/2015

A legal battle over the custody of a baby girl born through a disputed “surrogacy” arrangement has resulted in an order to remove the child from her mother and place her into the care of her father and his partner.

Commercial surrogacy industry creating baby factories

Published on: 30/04/2015

“Outsourcing Embryos” is the name of a new fifteen-minute documentary from Vice for HBO in which correspondent Gianna Toboni travels to India to delve into the industry of commercial surrogacy. What she uncovers is eye-opening, even for those who have been following the surge of cross-border “womb-renting” for years.

Indian minister says 2,000 girls 'killed' every day

Published on: 25/04/2015

Two thousand girls are "killed" every day due to a preference for sons in India with most aborted or murdered just after birth, the country's minister for women and child development said.

Scientists create first genetically modified human embryo

Published on: 25/04/2015

For the first time in history, a team of researchers have successfully edited the genes of a human embryo. The researchers from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou reportedly used the CRISPR/Cas9 technique to knock a gene called HBB, which causes the fatal blood disorder β-thalassaemia, out of donor embryos. This marks the first time that the CRISPR technique has been employed on an embryonic human genome. The CRISPR/Cas9 method utilizes a complex enzyme (aka a set of "genetic scissors") to snip out and replace faulty gene segments with functional bits of DNA. The technique is well-studied in adult cells, but very little published research has been done using embryonics. And it's the latter application that has bioethicists up in arms.

Brocher Summer Acadmy on Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI) in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)

Published on: 20/04/2015

Brocher Summer Acadmy on Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI) in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)
1 – 5 June 2015

What happens next to the Children and Family Relationships Bill?

Published on: 19/04/2015

The Seanad sat late on Monday night while the Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015 passed report and final stages, meaning it has almost become law.

British mother in IVF 'Viking baby' rogue donor scare

Published on: 19/04/2015

A British mother is among nearly 100 women who have had babies by a Danish sperm donor carrying a severe genetic disorder.

New law for Assisted Reproduction in Austria

Published on: 19/04/2015

On November 13th 2014, the draft new law on Assisted Reproduction in Austria was submitted with a joint initiative of the ÖVP and SPÖ political parties.

UK: Single man becomes a father using his own mother as the surrogate

Published on: 16/04/2015

A mother helped her 24-year-old son to have a child, acting as a surrogate mother, something that happens for the first time in the UK. Kyle Casson, a single gay man, had tried in the past to have a child with the same method, but surrogacy clinics across the country turned him away and a female relative who had volunteered to be the carrier developed medical difficulties.

65-year-old woman pregnant with quadruplets

Published on: 16/04/2015

Annegret Raunigk, 65,has revealed she’s expecting quadruplets because her youngest daughter, nine, wanted a little brother or sister.

Ireland: Former Minister Alan Shatter attacks Health Minister Leo Varadkar on surrogacy proposals

Published on: 11/04/2015

Former justice minister Alan Shatter has launched a blistering attack on Minister for Health Leo Varadkar about his proposals for surrogacy legislation.

Ireland: Health Minister Leo Varadkar: 'Commercial surrogacy will be banned in Ireland under new law'

Published on: 11/04/2015

Commercial surrogacy will be banned in Ireland - and parents who choose to go through with such services abroad will face penalties, Health Minister Leo Varadkar has said.

“Don’t edit the human germ line”

Published on: 07/04/2015

Heritable human genetic modifications pose serious risks, and the therapeutic benefits are tenuous, warn Edward Lanphier, Fyodor Urnov and colleagues.
It is thought that studies involving the use of genome-editing tools to modify the DNA of human embryos will be published shortly1.

Ireland: Former Minister Alan Shatter warns new Family Bill will end donor-assisted reproduction

Published on: 29/03/2015

Exchanges between Shatter and Frances Fitzgerald dominate committee meeting
Former minister for justice Alan Shatter has warned that the Child and Family Relationships Bill will bring donor-assisted human reproduction in Ireland to an end.

Ireland: Proposed sperm and egg donor register ‘unacceptable’ say doctors

Published on: 29/03/2015

Clinics fear the Children and Family Relationships Bill, which proposes to create a national register of sperm and egg donors, will lead to a reduction in donations and encourage more couples with fertility issues to seek help abroad.

Poland poised to legislate for IVF

Published on: 22/03/2015

Poland's government has drafted legislation to regulate IVF in the country. If it becomes law, Poland will become one of the last countries in the European Union to legislate for assisted conception.

British mum, 59, in bid for world medical first: I'll give birth to baby of my dead daughter

Published on: 22/03/2015

A British woman is staging a desperate legal bid to become pregnant with her own grandchild – using her dead daughter’s eggs.

Unmasked: Sperm donor cowboy who's 'fathered 40 children... with 15 on the way' as doctors warn of health timebomb of 'siblings' born in 50-mile radius

Published on: 22/03/2015

The Mail on Sunday can today unmask an anonymous sperm donor who boasts that an astonishing 32 women are expecting his babies and another 15 are about to take pregnancy tests after asking him for donations.

Media portray unrealistic timelines for stem cell therapies

Published on: 22/03/2015

A new study by University of Alberta law researchers reveals sometimes overly optimistic news coverage of clinical translation of stem cell therapies—and as spokespeople, scientists need to be mindful of harnessing public expectations.

Why it’s wrong to ban anonymity for egg and sperm donors in Ireland?

Published on: 22/03/2015

The central pillar of the Children and Family Relationships Bill’s assisted reproduction regulations is an attempt to outlaw anonymous egg and sperm donation and force every donor-conceived child to be given the opportunity to identify and meet their donor once they have reached 18.

Minister Leo Varadkar about AHR services.

Published on: 22/03/2015

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has said “altruistic” surrogacy will be allowed under new legislation but commercial surrogacy will banned.

Surrogacy to become illegal in Luxembourg

Published on: 08/03/2015

A new law on filiation is set to make surrogacy, which is currently not regulated in the Grand Duchy, illegal.

Slovenian Lawmakers Approve Same-Sex Marriage, Adoption

Published on: 05/03/2015

Slovenian lawmakers have approved same-sex marriage and child adoption by gay couples amid opposition from conservative groups and the Catholic Church.

Sixty-year-old Austrian gives birth to twins

Published on: 05/03/2015

In a first for Austria, a 60-year-old woman has given birth to twins in a clinic in Wels-Grieskirchen in Upper Austria, following IVF treatment.

Medically Assisted Reproduction: Towards a common European legislation?

Published on: 04/03/2015

Thailand outlaws commercial surrogacy for foreigners

Published on: 24/02/2015

Thailand's parliament has passed a law banning surrogacy for foreign couples, after two scandals sparked worldwide attention last year.

New clues to causes of birth defects in children from older mothers

Published on: 24/02/2015

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found a possible clue to why older mothers face a higher risk for having babies born with conditions such as Down syndrome that are characterized by abnormal chromosome numbers.

Fertility clinic first in Canada to allow IVF patients to ‘incubate’ embryos inside their bodies

Published on: 24/02/2015

A Toronto fertility clinic has become the first in Canada to offer women undergoing in-vitro fertilization the chance to “incubate” the embryos they hope will one day become a baby inside their bodies, instead of a lab dish.

Scientists find possible cause for IVF implantation failure

Published on: 24/02/2015

Researchers have identified a biological process that may cause the failure of embryos to attach to the uterus wall after IVF, raising the possibility of future treatments.

German court decision raises more questions than answers

Published on: 17/02/2015

On 28 January this year the German Federal Court of Justice decided in a landmark court case that donor conceived people have the right to access the identity of their donor - independent of the offspring's age.

Meerut: law student raped, beaten for refusing surrogacy

Published on: 15/02/2015

A 22-year-old law student was allegedly raped by a guesthouse owner and later dragged in full public view, beaten and stripped by him and his accomplices for refusing to be a surrogate mother for him and his wife.

UK: The door opens for “three-parent” babies

Published on: 09/02/2015

On February 3rd, 2015, the United Kingdom House of Commons voted for the the bill which would allow the use of genetic material from three people to create embryos ("mitochondrial transplant"). Great Britain is thus expected to become the first country to adopt a relative legislation. The bill must be approved by the House of Lords, which however rarely opposes the House of Commons. More specifically, 382 MPs voted in favor and 128 against mitochondrial transplant, the aim of which is to prevent genetic diseases by replacing faulty mitochondrial DNA with mitochondrial DNA from a healthy person.

ECHR: Chamber Judgment of 27.1.2015 in the case of Paradiso and Campanelli vs Italy.

Published on: 02/02/2015

In the case of Paradiso and Campanelli vs Italy (application no. 25358/12), the European Court of Human Rights, with its Judgment of 27.1.2015, held that Italy had violated the Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to respect for private and family life). The case concerns the placement of a child in guardianship, firstly in a children’ s home and, afterwards to a foster family. The child was born in Russia, by a surrogate mother, following a gestational surrogacy contract entered into by the couple (applicants). It subsequently transpired that they had no biological relationship with the child.

Ireland allows to switch off life-support machine in the case of a brain-dead pregnant woman

Published on: 02/02/2015

The Dublin’s High Court ruled in the PP v. HSE case that the life-support machine may be switched off in the case of a brain-dead pregnant woman who is 18 weeks pregnant. The doctors would keep her alive on a life-support machine, against the wishes of her parents, due to the absence of a clear legal status on the 18 weeks’ fetus. One should remember that the Constitution of Ireland considers that the life of the mother and the life of the unborn child are of equal value.

Parents of children born by surrogate mother will soon be entitled to the right to parental leave

Published on: 02/02/2015

The United Kingdom, after amending its relevant laws, recognized the right to parental leave to parents of children born through surrogacy, but only for children who are expected to be born at April 5, 2015 and onwards.

ECJ: The egg that can inherently be developed into a human being is an embryo

Published on: 02/02/2015

The European Court of Justice dealt in Case C-364/13 with the issuee of whether methods that include the use of activated via parthenogenesis human eggs can be patented. Essentially, therefore, the Court was asked to define the meaning of “human embryo”, the latter being protected by the Directive 98/44/EC. According to the Directive, it is impossible to patent the use of human embryos for industrial or commercial purposes.The European Court of Justice dealt in Case C-364/13 with the issuee of whether methods that include the use of activated via parthenogenesis human eggs can be patented. Essentially, therefore, the Court was asked to define the meaning of “human embryo”, the latter being protected by the Directive 98/44/EC. According to the Directive, it is impossible to patent the use of human embryos for industrial or commercial purposes.

Austrian court strikes down ban on gay adoption

Published on: 29/01/2015

The Austrian Constitutional Court has lifted a ban on adoption by same-sex couples.

Baby Gammy granted Australian citizenship

Published on: 29/01/2015

Baby Gammy, who was born with Down's syndrome to a Thai surrogate mother and was at the centre of a surrogacy scandal last year, has been granted Australian citizenship.

Complications for IVF babies declining, says Scandinavian study

Published on: 29/01/2015

A study has shown a decline in the rates of stillbirths and premature deliveries of babies conceived via assisted reproductive technology (ART) in four Nordic countries.

Baby born with genetic disease after embryo test 'mistakes'

Published on: 20/01/2015

A baby has been born with a genetic condition after a laboratory used by a Nottingham fertility clinic reportedly made a mistake interpreting PGD results.

Number of Czech multiple births falling

Published on: 04/01/2015

The number of multiple births was falling in recent years, down to 17 per 1,000 total births a year ago, in the Czech Republic, according to the data from the demographic yearbook of the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) released recently.

Surrogacy: the French Council of State validates the Taubira Circular

Published on: 04/01/2015

On Friday, 12 December 2014, the Council of State validated the circular disseminated by Keeper of the Seals, Christiane Taubira, aiming to facilitate the issuing of French citizenship certificates for children born abroad to a French father and surrogate mother.

Azerbaijan rejects legalization of surrogacy once and for all

Published on: 24/12/2014

The issue of legalizing surrogacy has been removed from the agenda of the Azerbaijani Parliament once and for all because of negative public attitude.

Quebec moves to make it illegal for women over 42 to undergo IVF

Published on: 11/12/2014

Quebec women over 40 and hoping to become pregnant may soon be racing against both their biological clock and a clock set by the provincial government.

Greek Minister of Justice Ch. Athanasiou : «Marriage of homosexuals is against human nature»

Published on: 11/12/2014

The minister of justice Ch. Athanassiou made statements regarding the cohabitation agreement and marriage of homosexuals, which could be described as conservative and reactionary.

Mothers give birth through the womb that brought them to life

Published on: 04/12/2014

Goteborg
For the first time in medical history two women in Sweden gave birth to children with the wombs that they received from their mothers.

Thailand's parliament says no to commercial surrogacy

Published on: 04/12/2014

Parliament in Thailand voted in favor of banning surrogacy fee after the rage that existed in the country due to the fact that surrogacy has taken uncontrolled trade dimensions.

Serbia Prepares Surrogacy Law

Published on: 23/11/2014

The first draft of the future Civil Code provides an introduction for surrogate motherhood in Serbia. This means the possibility of concluding a contract between the future mother or father, and a woman who will carry and give birth to their baby. Cash compensation for the service is not predicted, RTS reported.

Cohabitation agreement in same sex couples

Published on: 18/11/2014

The extension of the cohabitation agreement to the same sex couples in Greece is one of the most important changes that the Ministry of Justice is going to impose οn Family Law.

Court rules Italian couple cannot keep child born to surrogate mother and must be put up for adoption

Published on: 16/11/2014

Italy’s supreme court has ruled that a baby born to a surrogate mother in Ukraine cannot be kept by the Italian couple who paid for it and must be put up for adoption.

Genetic mum loses Supreme Court battle to be registered as her twins' legal mother

Published on: 11/11/2014

Judge Denham, who said the case raised important, complex, social issues, quashed the order of the High Court, adding that it was for the legislature to address laws concerning surrogacy and assisted reproduction.

Facebook and Apple to pay for female employees to freeze their eggs

Published on: 09/11/2014

Technology companies offer generous maternity benefits as part of attempt to make Silicon Valley friendlier to top female talent.

UK national sperm bank opens for business

Published on: 08/11/2014

A UK national sperm bank - charged with reversing a growing shortage of donor sperm - has started work in Birmingham.

Australian couples looking for surrogate mothers in India denied visas to enter the country

Published on: 08/11/2014

Childless Australian couples looking for surrogate mothers in India are being denied visas to enter the country following recent revelations a child was abandoned in India by an Australian couple.

Breast milk’s stem cells pass to the baby

Published on: 06/11/2014

Mother’ cells in the body of the baby? The research team that has found that the breast milk contains stem cells now notes that these cells pas to the neonates, at least in the mice. “The breast milk’s stem cells looks as if they are being incorporated and become functional cells” states Foteini Hassiotou, assistant professot at the University of West Australia.

Israel surrogacy for gay couples one step closer

Published on: 02/11/2014

Gay Israeli couples who want to adopt came one step closer to doing so in Israel this week after a surrogacy bill passed its first reading in the Knesset.

Sweden: First baby born following womb transplant

Published on: 30/10/2014

A boy has become the first baby to be born to a womb transplant recipient.
The mother, who is in her mid-thirties, is affected by MRKH syndrome and was born without a uterus. She is one of nine women who received wombs taken from live donors, in most cases the recipient's mother but also other relatives and friends, as a part of a medical research project conducted at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden (reported in BioNews 738). In this case, the uterus was donated by an unrelated family friend, a mother of two children, who had gone through the menopause.

France: same-sex couples allowed to adopt children conceived via IVF

Published on: 29/10/2014

France's top civil court, the Court of Cassation, has ruled that children conceived via assisted reproduction overseas can be adopted by same-sex parents.

USA: Ohio woman sues fertility clinic after daughter born from 'wrong sperm'

Published on: 29/10/2014

A woman is suing a sperm bank in Ohio, USA, after she became pregnant with sperm from the wrong donor.
According to the lawsuit, filed against Midwest Sperm Bank, Jennifer Cramblett and her same-sex partner, Amanda Zinkon, had ordered sperm from a white donor but due to a mistake at the sperm bank, her fertility clinic was instead sent sperm from an African-American donor.

Ireland: Surrogacy in Ireland: A missed opportunity

Published on: 29/10/2014

Why does the Children and Family Relationships Bill 2014, published in Ireland on 25 September 2014, contain no provision for surrogacy?

France: Prime Minister Manuel Valls against surrogacy

Published on: 29/10/2014

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls argued that "France is opposed to surrogacy because she is opposed, in the name of her values, in the name of progress and humanism, to all forms of commercialization of human beings and experimentation in this area".

Greece: The new Eldorado for infertile couples

Published on: 29/10/2014

Ever since the adoption in 2002 of a law authorising surrogacy on its territory, in 15 years Greece has become the leading European country for medically assisted procreation (MAP) and surrogacy. This summer, it took one step further, namely dispensing with the need for couples wishing to use surrogacy and surrogate mothers to have a permanent residence in the country.

USA: Facebook and Apple offer egg-freezing to employees

Published on: 29/10/2014

Apple and Facebook have acknowledged that they are offering their employees in the USA egg cryopreservation services for non-medical reasons in a move that has divided public opinion.

Assisted Reproduction in Europe: social, ethical and legal issues

Published on: 27/10/2014

Most surrogacy expenses not eligible for tax credit, tax court rules

Published on: 27/10/2014

In twin decisions, the Tax Court of Canada has ruled that most surrogacy expenses are not eligible for the medical expenses credit.

Without license the 67 Unites of Assisted Reproduction in Greece!

Published on: 27/10/2014

Thousands of couples every year are submitted to assisted reproduction without safe framework and control – Reactivation of the National Authority of Medically Assisted Reproduction.

Surrogacy abroad: the ECHR tecognises that States are entitled to "legal checks"

Published on: 22/09/2014

In a decree announced on Thursday, 11 September, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) declared that "State authorities can legitimately carry out 'legal checks' before authorising the entry of a baby born as a result of surrogacy arrangements abroad".

Italy: First gay couple allowed to adopt child

Published on: 03/09/2014

A woman whose partner gave birth has been allowed to adopt the child in the first case of stepchild adoption involving a same-sex couple. It's been described by a rights group as an historic step for Italy

Italy: Judge awards birth mother custody of twins after IVF mix-up

Published on: 18/08/2014

An Italian judge has ordered that two children born following an embryo mix-up at a Rome fertility clinic should reside with the birth mother and not with the twins' biological parents.

UK: Perimortem gamete retrieval

Published on: 12/08/2014

Perimortem gamete retrieval has been a possibility for several decades. It involves the surgical extraction of gametes which can then be cryo-preserved and stored for future use. Usually, the request for perimortem gamete retrieval is made by the patient's partner after the patient himself, or herself, has lost the capacity to consent for the procedure.

Stem cell scientist found dead in wake of research paper scandal

Published on: 12/08/2014

Yoshiki Sasai co-wrote papers on stem cells that were published in journal Nature but later withdrawn amid claims of fakery

Down's syndrome baby: Thai surrogate mother of 'abandoned' twin Gammy will keep him – and says she doesn't blame Australian couple

Published on: 04/08/2014

Displaying a generosity of spirit in rank contrast to the apparent callousness of the Australian couple who abandoned a Down's syndrome baby born to a Thai surrogate mother, the young woman has declined offers to adopt him, announcing that she intends to bring him up herself.

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