Category: Fertility Law - Page 5

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12
Mar
2025

Epigenetics In Human Reproduction

Louisa Ghevaert was delighted to attend the Nuffield Council on Bioethics workshop “Epigenetics in human reproduction” in central London on 11 March 2025. This event looked at the use and implications of epigenetics in human reproduction. It considered the inter-relationships between the reproductive environment, the epigenome, long-term health and assisted reproductive technologies. It went on to explore current and future scientific applications, ethical, legal and social implications. In doing so, it explored all sorts of important and complex questions and issues. How do you measure or control the environment? How effective may an intervention be and at what stage to optimise health, pregnancy and birth? How do you account for epigenetic responses (mechanisms that regulate gene expression without changing the DNA sequence) that differ between people? How reliable is epigenetic testing? How can you provide effective messaging? How do you address these issues from a policy perspective?

07
Mar
2025

Lessons To Be Learned By The Fertility Sector From the Infected Blood Scandal & Inquiry

Louisa Ghevaert was pleased to attend a Progress Educational Trust Event on 26 February 2025 "What Can The Fertility Sector Learn From The Infected Blood Scandal And Inquiry?". The Contaminated Blood Scandal was one of the worst health scandals in the UK from the 1970s - 1990s, resulting in thousands of deaths from infected blood transfusions and blood products. This event looked at the similarities between fertility (eggs, sperm and embryos) and blood, the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry in the UK and the lessons to be learned across the fertility sector to ensure optimum patient safety and care. Given rapid advances in reproductive medicine and growing demand fro fertility treatment, it is more important than ever to maximise reproductive choice, optimise care and protections and make informed decisions about pathways to parenthood.

25
Feb
2025

Declaration of Parentage: Resolving Birth Registration, Parental Status & Identity

We are currently seeing heightened levels of uncertainty and change around the world, ranging from economic challenges to seismic shifts in geopolitics and rapid developments in artificial intelligence, on-demand digital technology, genetics and DNA testing, precision healthcare and assisted reproduction. These can impact all stages of the life cycle from pre-conception through pregnancy, birth, family life and end-of-life care. This evolving landscape can create complex issues about family formation, personal identity, birth registration, legal and biological parenthood, genetic and health issues and relationships with family and relatives. In turn, this can require effective legal strategies to address issues about personal identity, genetic testing, legal and biological parentage, birth registration and family dynamics.

20
Feb
2025

Judicial Warning & Naming 0f Serial Sperm Donor ‘Who Fathered 180 Children’

In a recently published family law case In the Matter of D [2023] EWFC 333, His Honour Judge Jonathan Furness KC took the unusual step to publicly name a serial sperm donor and warn the public and vulnerable women seeking to get pregnant of the dangers of unregulated private sperm donation. This followed a highly contested 2-year legal battle, described as a 'nightmare' and 'horror story', between a female same-sex couple and a prolific sperm donor who applied to court to be named on the child's birth certificate, obtain parental responsibility and contact with the child.

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