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Frontpage/Assisted reproduction/Parental fitness assessment

Pa­ren­tal fit­ness as­ses­sment

Find out about the process for assessing parental fitness if the fertility clinic has concerns about your ability—or you and your partner's ability—to provide appropriate care as parents.

When is the assessment done?

If the fertility clinic has concerns about your and your partner's ability to parent, they must ask the regional council in your area to make a decision on the matter. This will only occur with your consent. If you do not give consent, assisted reproduction treatment will be denied.

The regional council may involve others in assessing parental fitness, such as your general practitioner or social services. This can only be done with your consent. If you do not consent to the regional council involving others in the parental fitness assessment, you will be denied assisted reproduction treatment.

What does the assessment cover?

When assessing whether there are concerns about your fitness as a parent, factors that may be considered include:

  • any addiction problems
  • your mental state
  • circumstances that may lead to the child being placed outside the home
  • as well as information that you already have a child in out-of-home care due to family circumstances.

Other factors may also be relevant to the case.

Assisted reproduction treatment cannot be refused based on your sexual orientation, racial, religious, ethnic, or similar characteristics, including gender identity. Additionally, you cannot be denied treatment due to your financial situation or housing circumstances.

Can I appeal?

If the regional council has denied you the right to receive assisted reproduction treatment, you can appeal the decision to the Appeals Board (Ankestyrelsen).

You can read more aboutthe options for appealing on the National Social Appeals Board's website.

If you wish to appeal the fertility clinic's request for the regional council to make a decision about your and your partner's parental fitness, such as if you believe the decision was made for unreasonable reasons, you should submit an with your region. If you have any questions, please contact the patient advisor in your region.

You can find contact information for the patient advisors in your region here:

Links to other relevant information