Menu

Legal parentage disputes: modern families and the law

Legal parentage is a critical part of the creation, stability and protection of modern families and those formed through assisted conception. However, all too often parents, children and families experience problems, disputes, uncertainty and anxiety about legal parentage in the UK and around the world. Earlier this week (16 November 2020) the Supreme Court refused permission to hear a transgender man’s case to be recognised as the legal father of the child to whom he gave birth. Articles in the media this week also report that Japan is currently looking at revising its assisted reproduction law with a draft bill, which if approved, would for the first time enable those who conceive with donor eggs and sperm to become legal parents in Japan.
Read More

Fertility treatment delivery during the continued Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic shows little sign of abatement as it continues to cause disruption, loss and death around the world. In light of the intensification of the Covid-19 pandemic and England’s decision to implement a second nationwide lockdown on 5 November 2020 for a month, the HFEA issued updated guidance for the delivery of licensed fertility treatment services on 2 November 2020. However, notwithstanding the welcome continued delivery of fertility treatment services in the UK, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic creates a wide variety of legal and wider issues for those seeking to undertake fertility treatment and assisted conception that require careful consideration and management.
Read More

The UK’s New National Genomic Healthcare Strategy, Genome UK

On 19 October 2020 BioNews published a comment piece by specialist fertility and family lawyer Louisa Ghevaert which assesses the UK government's new National Genomic Healthcare Strategy, Genome UK. Louisa explains that this genomic healthcare strategy does not go far enough in repositioning future healthcare strategy, policy and practice. By not fully articulating and integrating human reproduction and fertility treatment into future genomic healthcare strategy, Louisa explains that it does not represent a truly cohesive approach in setting our genomic healthcare strategy 'over the next ten years' and beyond.
Read More

Latest trends in family formations through UK fertility treatment

The HFEA published its latest report on 22 September 2020 called “Family formations in fertility treatment 2018”. It gives valuable insight into the creation of modern family forms in the UK and an upbeat pre-pandemic picture of fertility treatment in 2018. However, the ongoing disruption, uncertainty and loss caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic continues to unfold around us and drive unprecedented and rapid levels of change. As such, this evolving picture creates complex issues and challenges in terms of the current and future management and navigation of fertility treatment and healthcare, as well as our ability to create and protect our families in 2020 and into the future.
Read More

In the News

Father and toddler

X updates

Follow Louisa on X for latest industry updates

Read More

Our latest news

Read our news on fertility & modern family law

Read More

Our blog

Louisa discusses her opinion on different topics

Read More