{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-fertilisation-and-embryology-act-2008/section-42",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-fertilisation-and-embryology-act-2008/section-42.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2008/22",
  "legislation_title": "Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-fertilisation-and-embryology-act-2008",
  "path": "section/42",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "42",
  "heading": "Woman in civil partnership or marriage to a woman at time of treatment",
  "text": "(1) If at the time of the placing in her of the embryo or the sperm and eggs or of her artificial insemination, W was a party to a civil partnership with another woman or a marriage with another woman, then subject to section 45(2) to (4), the other party to the civil partnership or marriage is to be treated as a parent of the child unless it is shown that she did not consent to the placing in W of the embryo or the sperm and eggs or to her artificial insemination (as the case may be).\n(2) This section applies whether W was in the United Kingdom or elsewhere at the time mentioned in subsection (1).",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 42(1) inserted (E.W.S.) (2.12.2019) by The Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1458), regs. 1(2), 16(5); and said words in s. 42(1) also inserted (N.I.) (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 26(5)(b)(ii) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 42(1) inserted (E.W.) (13.3.2014) by Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 (c. 30), s. 21(3), Sch. 7 para. 40(3)(a); S.I. 2014/93, art. 3(k)(iv); and said words in s. 42(1) also inserted (S.) (16.12.2014) by The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 and Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3229), art. 1(2), Sch. 5 para. 18(4)(b)(i); and said words in s. 42(1) also inserted (N.I.) (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 26(5)(b)(i) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 42(1) inserted (E.W.) (13.3.2014) by Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 (c. 30), s. 21(3), Sch. 7 para. 40(3)(b); S.I. 2014/93, art. 3(k)(iv)and said words in s. 42(1) also inserted (S.) (16.12.2014) by The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 and Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3229), art. 1(2), Sch. 5 para. 18(4)(b)(ii); ; and said words in s. 42(1) also inserted (N.I.) (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 26(5)(b)(i) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 42 heading inserted (E.W) (13.3.2014) by Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 (c. 30), s. 21(3), Sch. 7 para. 40(2); S.I. 2014/93, art. 3(k)(iv); and said words in s. 42 heading also inserted (S.) (16.12.2014) by The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 and Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3229), art. 1(2), Sch. 5 para. 18(4)(a); and said words in s. 42 heading also inserted (N.I.) (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 26(5)(a) (with regs. 6-9)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/22/section/42",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:11:47.450526+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}