IVF after abusing kids?

[SassyPearlEagle]

Sorry, first time posting and I'm not sure where to ask this. Bit of a grim question.

For anyone who works in the fertility industry: are there any circumstances in which a couple would be denied IVF treatment, because of previous child neglect/abuse?

There's a situation in my family right now - I'm afraid to share details just in case she/anyone recognises this. In short, I'm alarmed at the prospect of her getting pregnant again. A baby would very likely be neglected, and I'd only hope that SS took it away fast enough this time. (Her previous kids were all removed after years of severe neglect and more, which she doesn't seem to give a shit about. How she escaped punishment I've no idea)

I can only find info on "who is allowed IVF" via NHS funding. Cynically, I expect that private clinics are just happy to take the £££ and don't care about children being created in dreadful circumstances. But if there are actually limits/rules then I'd love to be proven wrong. She's already fucked up numerous kids for life, and I can't see why she 'deserves' more chances to do it again.

We were interviewed and told they had an obligation to be sure children would be born into an appropriate environment. I don't know how far they'd take it, however.

The private clinic I went to needed a letter from my GP to say that I would be a suitable parent. I was a tad miffed but was able to provide it. My twins are 18 now so it may have changed.

If she has children she wouldn’t get NHS funding. Privately though? Who knows? I suspect it would be straightforward if she went abroad.

I would hope SS get involved before the child is born and take it straight into care.

In practical terms, you could consider informing SS now of what's going on so they can get ahead of the issues.

Your family member can lie to a private IVF company.

I'm guessing a private clinic probably wouldn't know anything about their clients previous history unless they are told by the client themselves. I would contact social services and let them know that the person is having IVF treatment.

I assume that a pregnancy under these circumstances would get picked up at NHS midwifery appointments, then referred to social care. I don’t know anything about how IVF clinics work and if anything would be flagged up sooner.

There is a ‘welfare of the child’ part of the initial assessment . It should be disclosed then. If not then if she gets pregnant the nhs will pick it up.

There is absolutely nothing that social care can do about this. If there is a referral to social care, it has to be under the name of a child as it is the child who is allocated a social worker, not the adult so as the child is not yet existent, there is no child to refer.

It’s an interesting ethical issue, but given there’s nothing to stop a parent who’s previously had children removed, ttc naturally, I’d imagine it’s the same with ivf. You’d hope private companies do some due diligence in this respect though.

Thanks for the replies, it's encouraging to hear that there are some checks at least. I don't have kids or know anything about IVF but it seems like a wild west out there, lots of controversies about ripping clients off and such.

I suppose it doesn't matter really - they could still go abroad and get it done cheaper without any regulations. Which saddens me, but hey.

I don't have much info about her (where she's living right now, her new partner's name, etc). I'm only hearing stuff from some other family members who are similarly appalled. If I mention it to local SS would they be able to track her down?

Not sure about private treatment but you have to sign a welfare of child form for NHS treatment. Personally I would say something to social services if she gets pregnant.

Social services regularly get involved with children when they are still in utero so they can take them into care in hospital. I know a baby foster carer who had a newborn child from a mother whose four previous children were taken from her at birth (and the first two at an older age).

Yes, but an assessment would only start at about twelve or fourteen weeks into the pregnancy,

That’s not true. Social services often assess unborn children of parents who have previously had children removed. If considered necessary they ask for a court order to remove babies shortly after birth - obviously that is not always the appropriate course of action. But they can.

I’m sure I have seen that there are cases where ivf is refused by private clinics due to parents history of convictions

I’m a GP and I also had IVF myself. In my experience private clinics (and NHS too of course) require a GP referral. Usually the GP is also asked to facilitate the basic blood tests. I’d be very surprised if someone could have IVF in this country without the GP being involved, and presumably the GP will know the history of previous child abuse. It’s incredibly expensive OP. Is your family member very rich? We’re talking many thousands usually, depending on exactly what is done.

It depends on what is put in the summing up by the judge and what comes up under her name. People can be flagged as a danger to children and a IVF clinic, in England wouldn't treat them.

@BerryTwisterno not all private IVF require a GP referral - mine didn’t. No basic blood tests were facilitated by the GP. My GP wouldn’t have known I was doing IVF at all and I had multiple rounds with a very well known clinic

That being said there is a welfare form you complete about any previous SS involvement / convictions for harm to children but yes you could easily lie and I doubt the clinic does a background check

you could report them to SS but you said you don’t know for sure they are having IVF nor where they live. And just because she lost her precious children doesn’t mean the same would happen again - don’t they take each pregnancy on its own merits removal is not always a forgone conclusion

And yet plenty of pregnant women are managed by social workers, up to and including removal of the child at birth where necessary.

Putting SS on notice isn't a major difficulty for OP. They might even find a SW who gives a shit.

Yes but the woman isn't pregnant yet. Nothing can be done until a pregnancy exists. You can't put social services on notice of an intended pregnancy.

Of course you can.

Even if it’s ivf. I’m assuming she would have to go to a midwife and when you complete the midwife’s forms it states about previous involvement social services as they have to notify them so surely as soon as she became pregnant they would know and would have to remove the child at birth

You don’t have to have any medical involvement. Of course you would be an idiot not to but if you want to hide your pregnancy you can just not go to the midwife or Gp. You could even decide to have the baby at home alone. Though as soon as the baby is born it has rights and the lack of care around the birth would be a red flag.

if she gets pregnant it would be flagged under the mothers name and all her history is stored on the social care system. Social care would ensure she undergoes a pre birth assessment and then the unborn baby placed on a plan until birth when they would likely be removed.

she would need to be pregnant first and then the unborn can be referred in.

How about "unborn (surname)"