GRESHAM LECTURE IV Fertility and Feminism

The Older Mother Liz Buttle was 60 Donor eggs

The Oldest Mother Dr Rashbrook was 63 and already had children but her new husband had none

Older fathers OK? Father aged 90 holds his 21 st baby

Fertility For Ever Frozen eggs give hope to young cancer patients

As Fertile as a Man Career women can put their eggs on ice until the time and the man are right Cl 15(3) 10 years’ storage

Storage and problems Natallie Evans was diagnosed with cancer at a young age She had her eggs fertilised by her partner’s sperm and frozen

Parenting and human rights Who most needs to be a parent? Natallie and partner separated and he withdrew consent to implantation She lost her case in the UK and in Europe on the ground of equality

2008 Act solution Sch 3 para 7: if one of the two donors withdraws consent, the clinic must notify the other Embryo may be stored for 12 months “cooling off period”

Octuplets Nadya Suleman, already mother of 6, had 6 embryos implanted and gave birth to 8 babies in 2009 in the USA.

Multiple embryos Should the older woman be allowed to take risks? Dangers of multiple births – premature, cerebral palsy, stress, expense ARGC judgment