Fertility tourists.

Treatment for infertility is strictly regulated in Britain so British women past childbearing age who are determined to have a child, or those seeking gender selection may go abroad to get the treatment they want. Other nationalities, however, come to Britain. The programme follows the fortunes of people in different circumstances who all want fertility treatment not available in their own countries. A Middle-Eastern couple, both infertile, require donor eggs and sperm, a form of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) which is forbidden by Sharia law. Any child born from donor sperm could be disinherited. A British couple, the Mastersons, already have four sons but their only daughter was killed. They desperately want another daughter. And Jenny Jones, a single woman past childbearing age, recalls her unsuccessful efforts to obtain fertility treatment in Italy. The Middle-Eastern couple have already had one child through IVF treatment in Britain and want a second child who will have the same genetic parents. Jenny Jones began her search for fertility treatment in 1992, aged 57 years; she found a clinic in Italy run by Dr. Severino Antinori but her treatment was suspended following adverse publicity. A second attempt at a different Italian clinic in 1994 was also unsuccessful. Although in her mid-sixties she persists in trying to find a clinic to treat her and advertises for an egg donor. The Mastersons experience many difficulties in pursuit of treatment in Rome. Success seems likely at last but the fertilised egg is male. They cannot afford another attempt and return home to start a campaign to persuade the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority to lift the ban on gender selection. The Middle-Eastern couple are also unlucky - IVF treatment does not result in pregnancy. The programme shows the frustration and expense involved in pursuit of IVF which has a success rate of below 20%.