Relationship breakdown during fertility treatment: What happens to my embryo? (BioNews)
‘... storing embryos for future use means couples run the risk of eventually facing the difficult and often unanticipated question of what should happen to embryos they created together, in the event their relationship breaks down. This is an increasingly challenging area and one which raises extremely sensitive and emotive questions.’
This article by Sarah Wood-Heath of law firm Clarke Willmott highlights the sheer complexity of the legal (and ethical) issues that can arise as a result of advances in techniques such as embryo freezing. While recognising that this isn’t something couples want to think about when they freeze their embryos, Sarah explains clearly the legal position when one party in the relationship later wishes to withdraw consent for their use. The complexity of this field and the potential implications for those involved underlines the importance of counselling and awareness of the legalities at the outset - and why there are so many clinic forms to sign.
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