IVF legislation for Italy

Italy could soon have legislation to govern the until-now unregulated practice of assisted reproduction. A bill was passed on 26 May by the parliament's lower house. If the bill becomes law, access to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) would only be available to heterosexual couples - regardless of marital status - with proven therapy-resistent infertility. Patients would need to be over 18 years of age but within a naturally fertile age range - thereby denying access to postmenopausal women. IVF patients must use their own gametes, although cryopreserved embryos created from a couple with their own gametes can be adopted by another couple if they haven't been claimed by the biological parents within three years of fertilisation. Embryos created with donated gametes before the law is passed or embryos created illegally thereafter, may also be adopted. Doctors who carry out illegal IVF could face 3 to 10 year prison sentences and L300m fines.