The London Evening Standard has covered the lack of rights to maternity leave for mothers who have a child through surrogacy, and Natalie Gamble is quoted extensively (read the Evening Standard article ‘Women who use surrogates in fight to claim maternity leave’). This is just one of the problems with surrogacy law which we are seeking to bring to the government’s attention as part of the Department of Health’s current consultation on changes to surrogacy law. See our Why Surrogacy Law Needs Reviewing page for more information.
Archive for October, 2009
Evening Standard highlights the lack of maternity leave for mothers in surrogacy situations
Friday, October 30th, 2009The Times’ Lawyer of the Week is Louisa Ghevaert
Thursday, October 1st, 2009Louisa Ghevaert has today been featured in the Times as their Lawyer of the Week. We are delighted with this accolade, which follows Natalie and Louisa’s representation of Melanie and Robert Gladwin in their bid to save their embryos from destruction, and the government’s decision to change the law as a result.
More from our blog about the Gladwin case and the government’s decision to change embryo storage law.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 comes into force today
Thursday, October 1st, 2009Today marks an important step in English fertility law, with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 – the first major review of UK fertility law for 19 years – coming into force. Our website has been fully updated to take account of all the changes which apply from today, so you can read more about what the changes mean for fertility patients, including:
Embryo and gamete storage – the rules will from today be fairer and more straightforward. Everyone will qualify for ten years’ storage, and patients who are ‘prematurely infertile’ will be able to extend this period, with no exclusion of surrogacy patients and those storing gametes or embryos as donor recipients. More from our website on embryo storage law.
An end to discrimination for lesbian and single women – fertility clinics will no longer have to consider a prospective child’s ‘need for a father’ (they will now have to consider the child’s need for ‘supportive parenting’), making it clear that access to treatment should be available equally to different family structures. More from our website on fertility law and access to treatment.
Donor information rights – Donor conceived people will have new rights to contact genetic half siblings and will be able to access some information about their donor at a younger age. Donors will also have new rights to limited information. More from our website on donor conception law.
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis – The law is clarified as to what kinds of preimplantation embryo testing are acceptable within the framework of the law. More from our website on embryo testing law and PGD.