Read more about the article Baby Born via Mitochondrial Donation Gives Hope to Families with Genetic Mitochondrial Disorders
Assisted Reproductive Technology / Egg and Sperm Donors / Egg donation news / Fertility Lawyer / Fertility Services / IFLG / Intended Parents / Mitochondrial Disease / Mitochondrial Donation Therapy / Reproductive Laws / Scientific Discovery / Surrogacy Lawyer / Trends in Reproductive Health

Baby Born via Mitochondrial Donation Gives Hope to Families with Genetic Mitochondrial Disorders

Mitochondrial Donation Therapy offers hope to families by preventing the passing of genetic disorders from parent to child. Mitochondrial DNA is passed down from mother to child, and genetically mutated mitochondria can carry an array of incurable disorders such as muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, neurological problems, seizures, vision and hearing loss, muscle weakness, cognitive and developmental delays, and early death.

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September 13, 2023
Read more about the article California Poised to Pass a Bill Mandating IVF Insurance for Large-Group Health Plans
Assisted Reproductive Technology / Fertility Lawyer / Fertility Preservation / Fertility Services / Fertility Treatment / Fertility Treatment Benefits / IFLG / In Vitro Fertilization / Infertility / Insurance / IVF / LGBT News / Reproductive Health Benefits / Reproductive Laws / Surrogacy Lawyer

California Poised to Pass a Bill Mandating IVF Insurance for Large-Group Health Plans

If passed into law, SB 729 would redefine infertility and require health plans to cover assisted reproductive technologies including in vitro fertilization (IVF), sperm testing/deposits, cryopreservation, egg retrievals, and embryo transfers (as long as any such embryo transfers are single-embryo transfers as recommended by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)). This is the farthest any bill mandating fertility coverage equality has gotten in California to date.

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June 13, 2023
Read more about the article Supporting Fertility in the Workplace
Fertility Lawyer / Fertility Treatment Benefits / Health Policy / IFLG / In Vitro Fertilization / Insurance / Reproductive Health Benefits / Rich Vaughn Article / Surrogacy Lawyer

Supporting Fertility in the Workplace

Infertility is described as a disease according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and while other diseases such as cancer and diabetes are covered by most employers under their health benefits packages, infertility treatment has taken a back seat. While it is no secret that an unsupported workforce lacks in performance, the added stress and anxiety of struggling with infertility have been shown to lead to employees’ loss of confidence, withdrawal, and even feeling the need to resign.

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March 28, 2023
Read more about the article RESOLVE ‘Night of Hope’ Celebrates Advocates for Infertility Treatment
Photo Booth Fun: Mindy Berkson of Newborn Advantage Surrogacy, Rich Vaughn of IFLG and Tommy Woelfel at RESOLVE Night of Hope 2019
Fertility Services / IFLG / Infertility / Rich Vaughn Article

RESOLVE ‘Night of Hope’ Celebrates Advocates for Infertility Treatment

I had the great pleasure Monday night, November 11, to attend the 2019 RESOLVE Night of Hope dinner in New York. The Night of Hope is the official awards gala…

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November 13, 2019
Read more about the article Sharing Promise of ART with LGBT China
Assisted Reproductive Technology / Fertility Law / Fertility Treatment / Gay Fathers / LGBT News / Marriage Equality / Parentage Orders / Reproductive Laws / Rich Vaughn Article / Same Sex Marriage / Same Sex Parents

Sharing Promise of ART with LGBT China

I have the great honor of traveling next week to China and Japan to talk to members of the LGBT communities there about assisted reproductive technology and the legal considerations…

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June 9, 2017
Read more about the article Uncertain Status of Cryopreservation Agreements Creates Legal Conflict
American Bar Association / Assisted Reproductive Technology / Cryopreservation / Family Law / Fertility Law / Fertility Treatment / Reproductive Laws / Rich Vaughn Article

Uncertain Status of Cryopreservation Agreements Creates Legal Conflict

With the growing use of cryopreservation, a method of freezing for future use eggs, sperm or embryos, we’re also seeing a growing amount of litigation resulting from disagreements as to their disposition. Sometimes a couple freezes eggs or sperm for medical reasons, such as cancer treatment, or merely in order to delay starting a family until a more opportune time. If the couple later separates, the partners may disagree about whether the eggs, sperm or embryo should be destroyed or preserved, how and when they can be used, and who has the right to make that decision.

Although such cases are still relatively uncommon (most people resolve these matters privately), as the technology improves and becomes more accessible to more people, it’s reasonable to assume such disagreements will occur more often. And as the law stands now, it’s anyone’s bet how these cases will wash out: in this area of law, it’s still the wild, Wild West.

Many couples sign a consent agreement or medical consent form, usually provided by their fertility agency, when they undergo egg or sperm harvesting or in vitro fertilization. Often, the clinic documents don’t cover what happens in the case of separation or divorce. Few intended parents go to a fertility thinking about what will happen if they get a divorce—most don’t want to think about it. However, it is incumbent upon the fertility services providers to make sure all eventualities are covered in these documents, and these intending parents must also be advised to carefully consider all eventualities before cryopreserving their genetic material.

But as things stand today, even the existence of a medical consent form addressing embryo disposition doesn’t rule out the prospect of conflict and litigation. Sometimes the court honors these consent forms, but not always.

(more…)

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July 18, 2016
Read more about the article Seminar Offers Answers to LGBT People Considering Parenthood Via ART
Assisted Reproductive Technology / Egg Donation Information / Fertility Law / Fertility Services / In Vitro Fertilization / Intended Parents / LGBT News / Rich Vaughn Article / Same Sex Parents / Sperm Donation Information / Surrogacy Latest News / Uncategorized

Seminar Offers Answers to LGBT People Considering Parenthood Via ART

I am honored to participate in Family-Building Options for LGBT People, a free seminar presented by my colleague, fertility doctor Dr. Guy Ringler. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or…

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October 8, 2015
Read more about the article International Surrogacy Can Be Risky Business for Intended Parents, Surrogates
Assisted Reproductive Technology / Fertility Law / Fertility Services / IFLG / In Vitro Fertilization / Intended Parents / Reproductive Laws / Rich Vaughn Article / Surrogacy Latest News

International Surrogacy Can Be Risky Business for Intended Parents, Surrogates

ABC report calls out Planet Hospital, a U.S.-based surrogacy brokerage offering surrogacy services in Cancun, Mexico, for allegedly shady practices.

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July 18, 2014
Read more about the article MTV’s “Generation Cryo” Explores Emotional Impact of Sperm Donation
Assisted Reproductive Technology / Fertility Services / IFLG / In Vitro Fertilization / Sperm Donation Information

MTV’s “Generation Cryo” Explores Emotional Impact of Sperm Donation

“Who’s Your Daddy?” the first in the six-episode MTV docu-series, “Generation Cryo,” premiered Nov. 25 at 10 p.m. Pacific Time. The second episode, “Come To Grips,” will air next Monday,…

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November 26, 2013
Read more about the article AFA Offers Fertility Resources to Members of Armed Services
American Fertility Association / Assisted Reproductive Technology / Fertility Services / IFLG / In Vitro Fertilization / Intended Parents / Rich Vaughn Article

AFA Offers Fertility Resources to Members of Armed Services

AFA’s recent initiative to help members of the U.S. armed forces and their families by providing information and resources and providing discounted infertility treatment and preservation services to service members.

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November 11, 2013
Read more about the article AFA’s Illuminations New York Honors Vardalos, Penzias
Adoption / American Fertility Association / Assisted Reproductive Technology / Fertility Services / Rich Vaughn Article

AFA’s Illuminations New York Honors Vardalos, Penzias

Honorees at the upcoming American Fertility Association New York Illuminations November 4 are Nia Vardalos, recipient of the 2013 Carol Berger Adoption Advocacy Award, and Dr. Alan S. Penzias, M.D. recipient of the Joyce M. Vargyas MD Visionary Award.

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November 2, 2013
Read more about the article New California Law Gives LGBT Couples Equal Access to Infertility Insurance
Fertility Law / Fertility Services / IFLG / Intended Parents / LGBT News / Same Sex Parents

New California Law Gives LGBT Couples Equal Access to Infertility Insurance

A California bill recently signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown, AB 460, clarifies language and clears up confusion around whether gay and lesbian intended parents are entitled to insurance coverage for infertility treatment.

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October 28, 2013
Read more about the article Preparation and Planning Doubly Important for Single Intended Parents
Assisted Reproductive Technology / Egg Donation Information / Fertility Services / In Vitro Fertilization / Intended Parents / Surrogacy Latest News

Preparation and Planning Doubly Important for Single Intended Parents

The prospect of parenting a child alone, physically, mentally and financially, for 18 years or more is a daunting one. But for an adult who has considered the pros and cons and is genuinely committed to becoming a single parent, ART can be an option.

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February 21, 2013
Assisted Reproductive Technology / Domestic Partnership / Egg Donation Information / Family Law / IFLG / In Vitro Fertilization / Intended Parents / LGBT News / Rich Vaughn Article / Same Sex Marriage / Same Sex Parents / Surrogacy Latest News

Surrogacy to Help Gay Men Become Parents

The number of gay couples forming families is on a steady rise from previous years. Gay and lesbian couples around the world are finding new hope creating families using ART methods.

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July 2, 2012
Adoption / Assisted Reproductive Technology / In Vitro Fertilization / Rich Vaughn Article / Surrogacy Latest News / Uncategorized

CSI segment highlights why it’s important to carefully vet your IVF agency

More recently, the popular television series, CSI featured an episode about a physician who fertilized a woman’s eggs with his own sperm without her knowledge and successfully implanted one of the resulting embryos.

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April 24, 2012
IFLG / Surrogacy Latest News

International Fertility Law Center… In the News

No official agency keeps track of the number of would-be parents who travel to India for surrogacy. But the proliferation of clinics around the country providing such services gives some idea of the rising demand for surrogates

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October 7, 2009