Surrogacy, UK

UK – Venturing into the realms of world surrogacyVenturing into the realms of world surrogacy

Source Legal Futures

With surrogacy statistics now showing that Parental Orders have increased four-fold in the last ten years in England and Wales, it is an encouraging sign that England and Wales are beginning to identify itself as a preferred choice of venue for surrogacy on an altruistic basis. In addition to that with the expected changes in 2022 it does leave most professionals and academics in this field feeling positive about the future ahead in the field of surrogacy and fertility law.  The Law Commission is currently undertaking an independent review of surrogacy in England and Wales, and this is expected to conclude in 2022.

Parental Orders, which transfer legal parentage from the surrogate in England and Wales rose from 117 in 2011 to 413 in 2020, as identified by a report from Kent University.  Statistics suggest that at least two-third of applicants are now mixed-sex couples. In 2020 it was recorded that 413 parental orders were issued to Intended Parents.  With the increase in Parental Orders and that including same-sex couples it can be said that ‘there is a need for a uniformed structure’ to asset all Intended Parents.

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Surrogacy, UK

UK – Surrogacy, Covid-19 and Travel – What if I’m separated From My Baby?

Source Lexology

In the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen numerous cases of Intended Parents sadly separated from their children born via surrogacy, because of travel and quarantine restrictions, in some cases for many weeks and months.

Restrictions on entry and exit for non-nationals, alongside significant backlogs in immigration and passport processing, have all contributed.

For many there is no easy answer, and it is a waiting game until reunions become possible.

Hopefully, as global restrictions ease, these instances will reduce, but the unexpected impact of Covid-19 shows the importance of planning ahead as much as possible.

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COVID-19, Surrogacy, UK

Surrogacy and COVID-19 vaccine – a UK perspective

Source BioNews

It is reported that surrogacy agencies in the USA have been so overwhelmed by requests for unvaccinated surrogates that it has now become a new matching criterion that the agencies use when placing surrogates to work with intended parents. 

The anxiety around the potential harm the vaccine can do to a baby in the womb has led to surrogacy contracts being amended to ensure that intended parents can make medical decisions for the surrogate, and in some cases has led to the breakdown of surrogacy teams who cannot agree on whether to vaccinate or not.

Read moreis reported that surrogacy agencies in the USA have been so overwhelmed by requests for unvaccinated surrogates that it has now become a new matching criterion that the agencies use when placing surrogates to work with intended parents. 

The anxiety around the potential harm the vaccine can do to a baby in the womb has led to surrogacy contracts being amended to ensure that intended parents can make medical decisions for the surrogate, and in some cases has led to the breakdown of surrogacy teams who cannot agree on whether to vaccinate or not.

Surrogacy, UK

UK – Single mother, 23, who’s a surrogate for a gay couple says handing over her biological daughter didn’t feel like giving up ‘something personal’ because she doesn’t feel maternally bonded

SourceThe Daily Mail

A single mother has claimed being a surrogate for a gay couple gave her life a ‘new meaning’ when she felt so low she ‘didn’t really want to continue’ living.

Emma, 23, met husbands Kevin, 35, and Aki, 40, from Berkshire, on a fertility app which she likened to Tinder and agreed to carry their child as well as let them use one of her eggs.

The trio share their story as part of a new BBC Three documentary, The Surrogates, which explores the emotional highs and lows of the surrogacy in the UK, told by five women and the would-be parents. 

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Surrogacy, UK

UK – Surrogacy and me: the choosing process is over, we have a donor

Source The Times

I realise some of the terms I use in this column may be a little confusing to the uninitiated, so I thought this week I would do some untangling. There are a few types of surrogacy, but the first distinction is between gestational and traditional. In gestational surrogacy, either the intended mother’s eggs (my ideal option, although sadly not possible for me because I don’t have any), or a donor’s eggs are used. In traditional surrogacy, a surrogate’s eggs are used, making her the biological mother of the child. The latter is rare because of all the next-level emotional and moral issues this understandably adds.

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Parental rights, single parents, Surrogacy, Surrogacy Law

UK – Surrogacy Laws Must Recognise Single Parents Says Joint Committee

Source Each Other

Surrogacy laws in the UK prevent single parents from obtaining a parental order, which means that they are not recognised in law as the parent of their biological child.

The government is correcting this injustice, but the Joint Committee on Human Rights says that the proposed changes still don’t comply with human rights law.

Publishing the report earlier this month, the committee looked at the Government’s proposed changes to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (2008). The key issues centred around the compatibility of the proposals with the right to private and family life provided for by the Human Rights Convention.

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Egg Donor, Same Sex, Surrogacy, Surrogate Mother

UK – Catholic group attacks Tom Daley for ‘depriving’ baby of mother

Source: PinkNews

(Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Current AffairsCatholic group attacks Tom Daley for ‘depriving’ baby of mother

A Catholic group has lashed out at gay Olympic hero Tom Daley – for having a baby.

Daley, 23, revealed this week that his expecting a baby with his Oscar-winning husband Dustin Lance Black, 43.

It is believed that the pair are having the child via surrogate, posting a selfie with an ultrasound scan.

The high-profile gay couple’s decision to start a family has led to a tidal wave of homophobic comments.

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Law, Same Sex, Sperm Donation, Sperm Donor, Surrogacy, Surrogacy Law, Surrogate Mother

‘My wife and my son are my family… but right now it’s like she doesn’t even exist’

Source: Her

Sarah and her wife, Geraldine, welcomed their gorgeous baby boy, Lochlan, in November.

Now three-and-a-half months old, their son is – of course – the apple of his parents’ eyes.l

Born at healthy 10lbs 4oz, it’s understandably been a blissful time for the Stone McDevitt family.

However, in the midst of their happiness is a pretty significant upset: despite being a married couple and co-parents, Ger’s name is notably absent from Lochlan’s birth cert.

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Egg Donation, IVF, Same Sex, Shared motherhood, Sperm Donation, Sperm Donor, UK

UK – Shared motherhood: The amazing way lesbian couples are having babies

Source: Cosmopolitan

It allows women to share the motherhood experience from the stage of conception.

Getty images

More and more lesbian couples are having babies thanks to a super cool fertility treatment known as ‘shared motherhood’. What’s cool about it? Both women are involved in the process, as one’s eggs are used, and the other carries the child. I know, science is awesome.

New research carried out by The London Women’s Clinic, has revealed just how successful and efficient shared motherhood fertility treatment is proving to be. So here’s everything you need to know about the process. Plus, a success story from a couple who’ve become parents this way.

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Surrogacy, UK

UK – If you are thinking about having children through surrogacy, you should go to this event

Source:  Pink News

(Getty)

Surrogacy is becoming an increasingly popular way for couples to have children, but the process varies around the world and where to start can be a challenge for some parents.

Well look no further – this event has all the information you need to get started on the process of starting your family with surrogacy.

In reality, surrogacy is as old as the Bible, but despite its rich history, parents-to-be and surrogates are both in need of a lot of support from the beginning of their journey.

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