Widow's call to amend bill (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Widow's call to amend bill

9:11am Saturday 24th May 2008 in

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A Twickenham widow has asked Parliament to change the law so that she can be the UK's first woman to conceive using her dead husband's sperm.

The 42-year-old mother of one, who did not wish to be named, persuaded a court to allow doctors to extract the sperm from her husband after he died suddenly last June. The couple had sought fertility advice a week earlier.

She went to Twickenham MP Vincent Cable who has asked Parliament to amend the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which requires a man's written consent at every stage of the insemination process.

Dr Cable's proposed amendment would see the same weight given to a consultant's confirmation of a couple's intention to have children as is currently given to the husband's written consent.

Meanwhile, the sperm remains frozen at the hospital, the widow awaiting a decision by Parliament and a subsequent veto by enforcement agency, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to allow her to use the sperm.

Dr Cable said the bill was currently at the standing committee stage and is expected back in the Commons next week where he will have the opportunity to debate it.