Men warned on fertility clinics' stored embryos
By Bonnie Malkin
Last Updated: 2:24am GMT 03/03/2008
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/03/nembryo103.xml
Men who have created stored embryos with their partners have been warned to alert fertility clinics if their relationship ends after a woman used embryos created with her estranged husband to have two children without his knowledge.
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It emerged that the woman allegedly forged her husband's signature on consent forms after they separated so that she could have the frozen embryos implanted into her womb.
advertisementShe had two children from two separate pregnancies using the embryos.
Her husband found out about the alleged deception only when one child fell seriously ill and he was contacted by a family member. He has since sought legal advice about suing Bourn Hall clinic, where his wife was allegedly treated.
A spokesman for The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said the case highlighted the responsibility men had to let clinics know if their status changed and they wanted to remove their consent.
"There's an onus on the man himself. If you have got embryos in storage and you change your mind you need to let the clinic know," he said.
Clinics need only written consent from a man to use embryos created with his sperm, they do not need to see him in person.
However, consent to use frozen embryos can be withdrawn at any time.
Dr Thomas Mathews, the medical director of Bourn Hall clinic, said: "There has been at least one case where a woman deceived us into implanting embryos without her husband's consent.
"We now photograph every couple at the first visit and check their photographic identity at every subsequent visit."
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