Monthly Archives: January 2013

FF…a fertility business?

Posted on January 27, 2013 by oliviasview

As from last night I have the dubious honour of being banned from the infertility/fertility forum Fertility Friends.  My crime is not that of flaming at another poster but that from time to time I give information about DC Network … Continue reading →

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Getting it right for the children means getting it right for the parents first

Posted on January 25, 2013 by oliviasview

The Anatomy Theatre at University of London’s medical school was the venue for Progress Educational Trust’s event on donor conception: the recipient perspective last night.  My fantasy that it would be obvious where ‘the body’ usually lay was not realised … Continue reading →

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The HFEA lives on

Posted on January 25, 2013 by oliviasview

Excellent news from the Department of Health this morning regarding the future of the HFEA – Taking all views into consideration, the Department has decided, on balance, not to pursue a transfer of functions to the Care Quality Commission and … Continue reading →

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Debate on donor choice: Woman’s Hour 23rd January

Posted on January 22, 2013 by oliviasview

I’m not quite sure why but Progress Educational Trust has chosen to put the spotlight on donor choice for its second When It Takes more Than Two event The Recipient Perspective on Thursday 24th January.  Anyway, Woman’s Hour on Radio … Continue reading →

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Who are the ‘new’ egg donors?

Posted on January 16, 2013 by oliviasview

What are we to make of the fact that so many UK fertility clinics now have an abundance, not to say a surfeit, of egg donors.  At a recent meeting of Progress Educational Trust focusing on donors, it was said … Continue reading →

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Passport office mistake turns parents’ hair grey

Posted on January 16, 2013 by oliviasview

I don’t know if many of you parents of donor conceived children have tried applying for a passport for your child recently, but if you do there is currently some very misleading information on the website of the Gov.UK Guide … Continue reading →

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Musings on the people behind statistics

Posted on January 11, 2013 by oliviasview

Some interesting stats have emerged from the HFEA Opening the Register section.  Apparently in 2012 181 people applied for information held on the register.  There were 99 parents, 63 donors, 14 donor conceived people (post 1991) and 5 pre 1991 … Continue reading →

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Academic acknowledgement for success of DCN workshops

Posted on January 11, 2013 by oliviasview

I’m very proud and pleased, but a little sheepish, about having my name attached to an academic article that was published in the Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology on 9th January.  The article is titled ‘Participants’ views of attending … Continue reading →

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Watch these. The film, the play and finally…the telly

Posted on January 8, 2013 by oliviasview

There can’t be many charming, unassuming and funny films that begin with a man masturbating into a plastic cup.  But I saw one last night.  Starbuck, a French-Canadian film about a prolific sperm donor was first drawn to my attention … Continue reading →

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A grandmother’s devotion…and a worrying story

Posted on January 2, 2013 by oliviasview

It’s been a very mixed start to 2013 (which does not trip off the tongue in the same way as 2012 did).  Apart from New Year’s Day which was blissfully blue, sunny and still, the rain has been relentless, the … Continue reading →

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