LONDON, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Women over age 50 should not be banned in Britain from seeking fertility treatments at private clinics, several fertility specialists said.
The argument for such a ban has been renewed by the case of Sue Tollefsen, 59, who has asked for in vitro fertilization at the private London Women's Clinic, The Times of London reported Monday.
Tollefsen, whose case is being followed by a BBC documentary team, gave birth to a daughter two years ago after receiving treatment in Russia.
Britain's National Health Service does not give in vitro treatments to women older than 40 and most private clinics in Britain refuse to treat women older than 50, though some clinics treat older women on a case-by-case basis.
Tony Rutherford, head of the British Fertility Society, said he advocates the case-by-case approach. "There aren't any right and wrong answers in this situation," Rutherford told the Times.
Allan Pacey, a fertility expert at the University of Sheffield. also argued against a ban.
"If a rigid law is made, then all it takes is a women to get on a budget airline to another country and get around the law that way," Pacey said.
