8. Infertility

In June 1982, shortly after Geoffrey had been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Mary was invited to chair a Committee of Enquiry into Human Fertilisation and Embryology. The first test tube baby had been born in 1978, since when there had been continued demand for official guidance on the limits of experimental work on embryos and on clinical practice. Mary’s knowledge of biology when she took up this role was virtually non-existent, but she was well supported by experts and learned rapidly. Ann McLaren, a distinguished biological scientist, was particularly helpful. Mary established guidelines for embryo research that should be permissible. In each problematic situation, she asked two questions. Is an experiment morally wrong? If it is, should there be a law to prohibit it? There was significant disagreement, especially from Catholic members of the committee. However, majority agreement was reached on a so-called fourteen-day rule; there should be no experimentation on embryos beyond the fourteenth day after fertilisation. There was also disagreement over whether surrogate pregnancies should be legalised, with Mary taking the majority view that they should not. She soon regretted the position she had taken on this issue. The report recommended the establishment of a Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The report was completed in 1984, but relevant legislation based on it was only passed after much controversial debate in 1990. There was much opposition from religious leaders. Subsequent major scientific advances are described, but there has been no significant reform of the law since that time, and the report is still widely regarded both nationally and internationally as providing a benchmark for research and the organisation of services in this field. Mary subsequently wrote various relevant publications, especially Making Babies (2002), which considers whether women have a right to have babies. An online conference held in April 2021 celebrated the report and Mary’s contribution to it.