Same-Sex Parenting

As part of your clinical duties as a gynecology trainee, you have been asked to see some of the patients in the fertility treatment clinic. These patients have usually been referred by their GP for specialist advice and information provision when struggling to conceive naturally. You are therefore surprised to discover that one couple is in a same-sex relationship. They tell you they had their civil partnership 6 months ago and would now like to start a family. Neither of them have had children previously and they are interested in finding out more about the different options of fertility treatment available to them.

• Are same-sex couples entitled to fertility treatment?
• Who can legally be named as a parent on a birth certificate?
• What are the ethical arguments against same-sex parenting?

Apply Theory (Specific Professional Healthcare Competencies + Clinical Medical Ethical Principles) to Practice in order to provide Optimal Patient-Centered Care (OPCC)

Source – Ethics Case Studies from Clinical Ethics and Law (Second Edition), Carolyn Johnston Penelope Bradbury