Entry #7: HFEA

I have been taking the time recently to read up on the various processes involved with fertility treatments in the UK. The amount of information out there specifically for single men is currently quite limited. So, I thought I would make a start with the people who regulate it in the UK, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). For anyone who is at the beginning of their journey, it is a really useful place to start. However, once again the guidance they provide is predominantly aimed at Heterosexual/Same Sex couples and Single Women. In fact, I couldn’t find any mention of single men on their website and only one mention of “people who are single”.

So, I wrote them an e-mail!

They were very quick to respond. They informed me that the lack of information, specifically aimed at single men, was predominantly “historical, as there are more options for single women to have a baby outside of surrogacy, but through a clinic, and so this section was in place before the law was changed”.

For those who are not aware, single people were unable to apply for parental orders up until January 2019. Furthermore, they say “most aspects of surrogacy are not regulated by them, so the information they can provide on surrogacy is limited”.

However, they also acknowledged the main point and have assured me that they will raise this with the web team “as a suggestion for a possible area to work on when they do their next website review”. They also recognised that “the number of people using surrogacy to have children is increasing and there will likely be more and more single people (men and women) among them, so this will be important to consider when putting together web content”.

All in all, I think this was a very positive outcome!

Until next time, keeping the Dad dream alive!

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