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Donor insemination

Fertility review

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is currently being debated in parliament. It includes provisions to legally recognise same-sex couples as parents of children conceived during their relationship. Stonewall warmly welcomes this change in the law.

We believe that it is critically important for a child to be raised in a stable and loving home. Many same-sex couples already raise children in just such an environment, almost always with significant mindfulness of the importance of appropriate role models in or close to their family units. It is timely that the law reflected this.

The Bill contains provisions to enable two women in a committed relationship to consider starting a family with support from fertility clinics. At present, clinics have to consider the potential role of a father before granting treatment. There is no credible evidence to support the suggestion that children of lesbian parents are at any disadvantage developmentally compared to others.

The provisions in the Bill would categorically not remove the existing right of children born to a same sex couple to know or have access to information about their biological parents. This right is already protected by law and will not change as a consequence of this Bill. Information to identify the biological parent is recorded and made available to a donor-conceived person when they reach 18.

The Bill would also recognise same-sex partners, including civil partners, as legal parents of children conceived within their relationship. Currently, same-sex partners must formally apply to adopt any child born in a relationship, in order to become a parent.

Mindful that there are currently more than three million children growing up in lone-parent households in the UK, we think it appropriate to support any arrangements involving two loving parents.

Follow the progress of the bill on the Parliament website here.

Download Stonewall's guide to conception through donor insemination.

* Stonewall accept no responsibility for the content of external sites.