Should IVF be available to lesbians?

[TooBigForMyBoots]

And single women? Or should assisted conception only be for infertile women in heterosexual relationships?

[Beautiful3]

No.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I think it's an interesting question.

If it's on the NHS as 'treatment for infertility' ie a medical condition, then being single or lesbian isn't that. And expensive 'treatment' for something that isn't a medical condition seems a waste. The NHS can't treat everyone for everything painful and limiting as it is.

BUT if it's about giving everyone the same chance to conceive then of course you'd offer it to single women and lesbians.

BUT men don't have uteruses. Therefore if you're giving everyone the same chance to conceive, you have to look at surrogacy, which is abhorrent as far as I'm concerned, and certainly shouldn't be on the NHS.

It's a pickle. Medical ethics experts apply here.

[Holidaymoo]

IUI and IVF is fully funded for lesbian couples in Scotland but not for single women.

[Eyerollcentral]

@Emanresu9

Available - yes

Funded by NHS - no (that goes for everyone)

Agree. I have been absolutely castigated for saying so irl but I don’t think the NHS should be funding any fertility treatment for anyone.

[ÉireannachÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ]

I am of the opinion that ivf is morally objectionable and shouldn't be available to anybody.

[Myaiminlife]

@ÉireannachÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ

I am of the opinion that ivf is morally objectionable and shouldn't be available to anybody.

Why do think it is morally objectionable? Do you think any assistance to conceive is morally wrong or just IVF?

[RethinkingLife]

I think OP is addressing aspects of reproductive justice.

There are advocates of reproductive justice who argue that the NHS should provide, say:

• a surrogate for gay men who wish for a child
• support for lesbians (irrespective of fertility status)
• support for trans gender people (e.g., transmen who may need surrogate assistance; people who may wish to preserve gametes before affirming medical/surgical intervention).

[BiologicalKitty]

@Kendodd

On a tangent, having a child is not a right and should not be viewed as a right.

This.

[chaosmaker]

On an overpopulated planet it shouldn't be available to anybody.

[lemons44]

@Kendodd do you have children?

[StrandedStarfish]

Yes.

[TinselAngel]

@TooBigForMyBoots

I personally think that assisted conception should be available to women. Including single women and lesbians.

I ask because of some posts I've seen recently objecting to it. The reason given was that if lesbians can access help to conceive it would pave the way for more gay men to use surrogates.

God this is getting tedious. That's not what I said. I said that if you argue for anybody having a "right" to children, (eg by saying lesbians have a right to IVF because it's the only way they can conceive and therefore is necessary for "equality") then you need to think through the consequences of your argument. In particular, to be consistent you'd have to argue gay men also have a right to children which will involve increased use of surrogates. You then have to wonder where the surrogates will come from to fulfil that right and of the detrimental effect this would be likely to have on women.

[Eyerollcentral]

@lemons44

@Kendodd do you have children?

What’s that to do with anything? Do you think people do have the right to have a child? They don’t.

[AnuSTart]

Available to all. Paid by NHS for no one.

[AnuSTart]

Children are NOT a right.

[chaosmaker]

@Kendodd

On a tangent, having a child is not a right and should not be viewed as a right.

Also this.

[eatdrinkandbemerry]

It should be available and funded.

[MolkosTeenageAngst]

Single women and lesbians should have the same access to fertility treatment as heterosexual couples and should have the same treatments funded by the NHS.

[MajorCarolDanvers]

Yes to both

[EndlessTea]

@MolkosTeenageAngst

Single women and lesbians should have the same access to fertility treatment as heterosexual couples and should have the same treatments funded by the NHS.

Where does the sperm come from?

[smellyflowers]

@EndlessTea

Where does the sperm come from?

A man

[EndlessTea]

@smellyflowers

A man

Where does the man come from?

[chaosmaker]

Biology lessons said that the egg will only allow the right sperm in to fertilize said egg so I often wonder in cases of infertility if it's just a case of the wrong sperm.

[lemons44]

@Eyerollcentral no I know more than anybody that having a child is a privilege and not a right, thank you. I think you'll find that anybody suffering with infertility knows this more than you could ever imagine.

There needs to be a bit more compassion in this thread.

[TooBigForMyBoots]

Of course having a child is not a right.

Its not about a child as a right. It's about lesbians and single women having the same rights as heterosexual women in a relationship, to assisted conception.