Ruling due in fertility case involving embryos of estranged couple

THE Supreme Court is due to rule today on an appeal by a woman in her 40s against the High Court’s refusal to order a Dublin fertility clinic to release three frozenembryos to her for the purpose of pregnancy against her estranged husband’s wishes.

The Irish Stem Cell Foundation believes the decision is likely to clarify the legal definition of the word “unborn” as used in the Irish Constitution – and therefore have implications for many branches of medicine and research including assisted fertility treatments and stem cell research.

Ireland is one of three EU states with no regulation of infertility services. The others are Poland and Romania. The only guidance available to clinicians are the Medical Council’s ethical guidelines.