Genealogy Chat

Last week I went to my local register office to collect a couple of certificates. Whist I was waiting I read a notice to say that it is illegal to knowingly give false information when registering BMDs. It got me thinking (yes I had a long wait !). What happens when a child is born as a result of artificial insemination or egg donation because the parents would obviously know this so what info goes on the birth certificate? I asked the registrar about this and she told me that they would have the mothers details from the hospital and so would know. I asked what happens and she said that they have to use the Embryo Act of 2002. When I asked what that meant she said that she had never had to do one so wasn't exactly sure - she would have to look it up. Has anyone come across this before??? I know that when a child is born the midwife has to inform the relevant register office but do they give out medical info such as this???

Hi Kris I could be wrong but I am 99% sure that the person with all legal rights to the baby is the woman who physically gives birth to it. which is why even something like surrogacy can be such a hot potato because even if the implanted embryo is completely from another couple the birth mother takes all rights. Regards tania Ps when we send the notification it simply states the mothers name the date and place the baby was born and the notifier. This is really just so that people cant have babies and have them disappear the parents fill in all the additional details father etc when they register the birth.

Hi Tania - I was thinking more of what happens when the child is a result of donor insemination - if the woman's partner is stated as the father - they are 'knowingly' giving false info. It is a really compex issue and it would be interesting to get views on this.

HI kris Yes I see your point re sperm donation Its an interesting topic. The egg donor as I said has no rights the birth mother takes those. With regards declaring the father that is an interesting dilemma When a baby is registered in a marriage the husbands name is automatically accepted as the father by right without any proof,perhaps they just dont ask?

In 'host'surrogacy, when the surrogate has IVF and is implanted witht the genetic child of the couple she is having the baby for, when the baby is born the initial birth registration is placed under the 'birth' mothers name, and the genetic fathers name if the surrogate is unmarried. If the surrogate is married, her husband has to go down as father even though it is not his baby, if he agreed to the surrogacy taking place (UK law is v v strange sometimes...) When the birth is registered, it is declared a surrogacy, and the genetic parents than apply for an order through the courts and upon successful completion of this a new birth certificate is issued with the genetic parents named as mother and father. This is no different even if donated eggs are used. So when a woman uses donor eggs to have and carry a baby herself, I believe she is registered as the mother as she has physically given birth to the baby. Hope this is not too confusing!! Myfanwy

I believe it is registered as a sperm donation birth, and when the child reaches a certain age they can ask for non-identifying information about the donor, for medical issues etc. Prior to the any sperm donation conceived child getting married, they can apply to the Donor register for confirmation that the partner they are marrying is not genetically related i.e. another child with the same father. Am not sure about the new recent changes about the right for a donation child to know more info on the donor. hope that helps Myfanwy

Thanks Myfanwy - it's a mine field isn't it??

Even with natural conceptions there can be misleading information of course. I read somewhere once that about 10% of children are not actually the offspring of the man who thinks he is their biological father. If this has always been so then quite a lot of our genealogical findings are not accurate! Sue

Interesting thread. I make a point of following as much of the female lines as possible in my tree as I am fairly certain that the mothers are the mothers - I think a few of the 'fathers' in my tree are not the natural fathers. Also, if I hadn't had a few of the family stories about this woman or that woman being 'rescued' by a childhood sweetheart who brought up this child or that child as his own I would have made several wrong assumptions. I think the femal line is far more accurate. Sorry, this is getting rather off the point of the original posting but interesting 'thinking' stuff! Jill

In the 50s and 60s, infertile couples were offered A.I.D - Artificial Insemination by a Donor. I know of one couple who used this method to get pregnant - the child was registered as if it was a normally conceived child. These things were very hush-hush back then - I wonder if some of the '10%' of children you refer to, are in fact the result of A.I.D. with the full consent and knowledge of the husband of the woman? OC