Thanks to the hard work at Progress Educational Trust and their #ExtendTheLimit campaign, the government has launched a public consultation running until the 5th May 2020 on extending the storage limit for eggs, sperm and embryos.

Under current UK law, women who freeze their eggs for non-medical (social) reasons are subjected to a 10-year storage limit (HFE Act 1990), which impacts on the reproductive choices of women who store their eggs.

Latest data from the Human fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) reveals that two-thirds of women freezing their eggs are over 35 and shows the number of women freezing their eggs has more than tripled in the last five years.

As specialist fertility counsellors we may work with the individuals whom are disproportionately impacted by current UK legislation and the distressing, difficult and heart breaking decisions they face to destroy their gametes or the immense pressure to have a child before they are ready.

It is vital that UK laws reflects the advancements in reproductive medicine and it is now time to consider what a more appropriate storage limit could be that recognises both the advancements in reproductive medicine and the way in which women consider their fertility

BICA, encourages all of our members to respond to the consultation at https://dhsc.surveyoptic.com/gamete-storage-limits and we would be grateful if you could share your views with BICA by emailing Chair@bica.net no later than 20th April 2020 in order for BICA to compile a comprehensive response to the consultation reflective of our members views.