Science Story

02 December 2008 23:37 BST

Need for father in IVF treatment "offensive" to single women and lesbians

Politicians are reviewing the right of fertility clinics to refuse treatment to single women and lesbians.

Last year the Commons science and technology committee labeled this right as "offensive" and its report is now the focus of debate in parliament. If the proposals are successful then the need to have a father in the treatment process will be obsolete.

Dr Evan Harris, a Liberal Democrat MP and member of the committee, said that current rules are "clearly indirect discrimination".

He added that the rules might not comply with equality laws being introduced by the government.

"They are bringing in anti- discrimination legislation in the provision of goods and services. This clearly breaches that. They ... are trying to sweep it under the carpet," he said.

Both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the British Association of Social Workers have backed the plans, arguing that the child's need for a father should not be paramount to its need for a family.

Angela Eagle, an ex-Labour minister, told the Independent: "It's clear that in coming to any kind of decision about IVF, clinics have to look at many issues, but I don't think it is at all clear that should be based on the assumption of whether there is a man around. Plenty of children are brought up by women on their own."

According to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, fertility treatment has resulted in three million births through IVF worldwide in the last 28 years.