Woman, 59, to give birth to her dead daughter’s baby

A 59-year-old woman wants to honour her dead daughter's wishes by becoming pregnant with her own grandchild

AFFWFT

by Kayleigh Dray |
Published on

The woman's daughter was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 23 and chose to freeze and store her eggs in 2008.

She completed a form which gave consent for the eggs to be stored for use after her death, but crucially, failed to fill in a separate form which indicated how she wished the eggs to be used.

This technically meant that her consent became invalid.

Tragically, the young woman passed away in 2011 without leaving any further instructions - but now her mother and father have claimed that it was their daughter's dying wish that her frozen eggs be fertilised by donor sperm and be implanted inside her own mother's womb.

Now her mother is appealing to be given permission to begin fertility treatment - at an estimated cost of £60K - so that she can become pregnant with her own grandchild.

The British woman’s age mean that her chances of becoming pregnant using the eggs are small.

Stock image
Stock image

And, should fertility treatment be successful, there are potentially large risks to her health, and the health of the unborn child.

The Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) have refused the couple's application to export the frozen eggs to America, insisting that they need clear written consent from their late daughter.

However the parents are now appealing the decision, insisting that this is what their daughter would want - and they will not rest until High Court judge rules in their favour.

The debate has left many divided, with some saying that the idea is 'disturbing', and others insisting that the wishes of the woman's late daughter should be respected.

Josephine Quintavalle, from campaign group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, told The Mail On Sunday that she sympathises with the mother's loss.

However she added that it would be "impossible not to feel very uncomfortable’ if the procedure was allowed to go ahead.

She said of the potential grandmother: "Her daughter is irreplaceable and should be mourned as such."

Do you think the woman should be given permission to carry her dead daughter's baby? Join the debate via the comments box below now.

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