08 March 2023 , 17:04
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A distraught woman has been denied IVF after escaping from an abusive relationship.
Anne-Marie Morrison, 36, from Dunbar, Scotland, says she was denied IVF treatment because she is single.
After fleeing her relationship she had her NHS support removed before funding trips to a sperm bank herself that ultimately ended in disappointment.
She is now campaigning to allow single woman access to fertility clinics to become pregnant without a partner.
Current legislation does not allow single woman entry to publicly run IVF clinics.
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She said: "I am absolutely outraged, I can’t believe it and I am deeply hurt. For someone to squash your dreams when they don’t even listen to you and don’t even know who I am.
Anne-Marie said she was refused IVF because she was single (Anne-Marie Morrison)Before women can be referred for treatment, they need to be in a relationship for at least three years.
Anne-Marie, studying psychology and counselling, has been battling with the government for years to fulfil her dream of becoming a parent and launched a petition in the hope fellow single women can become mothers.
"They don’t know these millions of other women and they don’t know what we’ve been through. I am always giving gratitude for my life and everything that surrounds us", she told Edinburgh Live.
"It’s beautiful and I could provide that to someone else. It means everything to me to bring someone into the world that is stunning and experience it with me."
Anne-Marie, a practising Christian, started her baby journey 10 years ago.
She was previously offered IVF on the NHS but had the offer rescinded when she ended the abusive relationship.
Anne-Marie was left to fork out her own money to go to a private sperm bank twice - but both attempts failed.
She argues that being forced to be in a relationship “is against her choice” and is “ludicrous.”
She said: “I am able to have relationships, I’ve had them but it’s not what I want for my life, I’m not saying that I wouldn’t have a relationship but all I want in this life is a baby.
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“I just haven’t met anyone that I can trust enough at the moment to bring into a baby’s life. I am putting mine and their safety first before anyone else.
“I was with someone who was horrible to me and beating me. I went through women's aid and left this person a long, long time ago and grew these protective skills to know where to spot them if I am ever with someone like that again.
“You deserve the highest level of treatment and I haven’t found that and that’s why I haven’t settled down with someone.”
Anne’s petition has received over 400 signatures but needs 10,000 for it to be considered by the Scottish Government.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “While legislation, licensing and regulation of IVF is reserved, delivery is managed by the Scottish Government. We have invested around £40 million over five years to improve IVF waiting times and meet expanded NHS access criteria."
A UK Government Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson for local health services for fertility must follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
They added: "As guidelines cover diagnosing and treating fertility problems, they do not cover IVF treatment for single women who do not have a diagnosed fertility problem.
"NICE is currently reviewing its fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. We expect that this review will be published in 2024.”