UK Announces Free In-vitro Fertilization Treatments for Same-Sex Couples

• Phunkie wrote on 2012-05-26 06:57

  Same-sex couples and women over the age of 40 in the UK will now be provided free access to fertility treatments to help them conceive children.
  
  [QUOTE]Then new guidelines also call on health authorities in England and Wales to fund intra-uterine insemination (IUI), which uses donor sperms to help same-sex couples conceive. If IUI should fail for six cycles in a row, then, they should be considered for the more costly, and medically complex IVF, the guidelines will say.
  
  These consequences follow the implementation of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, passed by Labour in 2008, which put same-sex parenting and heterosexual parenting on equal footing in the eyes of the law.
  
  That there has been a concomitant increase in demand from gay couples for fertility services is confirmed by figures: for example, in the three years from 2007 to 2010, the number of lesbian couples undergoing IVF nearly trebled from 178 to 417. Till now, gay couples usually had to resort to private treatment, which cost up to £8,000 per couple, with a reduction in the chances of successful conception with increase in age.

  
  
  England joins other nations like Canada in putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to the equality of LGBT citizens.
  
  It’s not unnoticed that while we’re busy (rightfully) applauding our president for simply saying he believes we deserve the right to get married, the former tyrants from whom our forefathers fled to America are whooping our asses on the equal treatment of gays and lesbians. LGBT Britons enjoy the right to marry and jointly adopt children in addition to the newly announced fertility treatment access.[/QUOTE]
  
  http://unicornbooty.com/blog/2012/05/22/uk-announces-free-in-vitro-fertilization-treatments-for-same-sex-couples/
  
  Sweet!
• Juno wrote on 2012-05-26 07:04
  I don't get how this is an equality thing.
  
  Sure, it's nice and all, but last I checked this wasn't a free service for anyone.
• paladin wrote on 2012-05-26 14:49
  Juno its more symbolic
  It shows that the uk government isnt just saying stuff about the lgbt communtiy but showing their help with this sutff
• Juno wrote on 2012-05-26 15:20
  When I first saw it, it seemed like a clever way to help fight the perennial European depopulation crisis. As such, I'm not buying the symbolism as any more than clever PR.
• paladin wrote on 2012-05-26 15:31

  Quote from Juno;873352:

  When I first saw it, it seemed like a clever way to help fight the perennial European depopulation crisis. As such, I'm not buying the symbolism as any more than clever PR.

  
  
  The government
  What do you expect
  They may screw stuff up alot
  But they do havea duty to the people
  Its a pr move to help population but it helps lgbt
  Thats still a very postive thing
• Claudia wrote on 2012-05-26 16:25
  Why offer in-vitro to women over 40, though?
  
  Otherwise, applause for the UK.
• Cynic wrote on 2012-05-26 16:36
  Now to wait for the USA to follow suit.
• Juno wrote on 2012-05-26 17:00

  Quote from paladin;873357:

  The government
  What do you expect
  They may screw stuff up alot
  But they do havea duty to the people
  Its a pr move to help population but it helps lgbt
  Thats still a very postive thing

  
  
  At least until everyone else starts clamoring for their free stuff in the name of equality. Big picture wise, I still don't see their angle.
  
  

  Quote from Cynic;873387:

  Now to wait for the USA to follow suit.

  
  
  We don't have a shrinking population, so I really don't see that happening.
• Maenad wrote on 2012-05-26 17:08

  Quote from Cynic;873387:

  Now to wait for the USA to follow suit.

  
  
  False. We don't live in a perfect world.
  
  
  
  
  Dakota and I should move to England. o-o;
• Cynic wrote on 2012-05-26 17:15

  Quote from Juno;873389:

  At least until everyone else starts clamoring for their free stuff in the name of equality. Big picture wise, I still don't see their angle.
  
  
  
  We don't have a shrinking population, so I really don't see that happening.

  
  
  
  I don't think anyone really cares about making babies for the sake of having a big population, lol. It's giving same-sex couples the chance to have kids instead of just adopting (which still isn't possible in some places) that matters.
• Yoorah wrote on 2012-05-26 19:50
  What a waste of taxpayer money. They need to learn to prioritize.
  T'is nothing more than a move to score some political points with certain groups of people who don't know better.
• Juno wrote on 2012-05-26 20:19

  Quote from Cynic;873395:

  I don't think anyone really cares about making babies for the sake of having a big population, lol. It's giving same-sex couples the chance to have kids instead of just adopting (which still isn't possible in some places) that matters.

  
  
  As much as I'd love to believe that, I just can't swallow it.
• Rin wrote on 2012-05-28 13:42
  Free, huh?
  
  I guess the LGBT community will be happy with where some of their taxes are going to.