Polish Senate approves new law on in vitro fertilization

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's Senate approved a government bill that provides coherent regulations for in vitro fertilization and makes the procedure also available to unwed couples, part of a larger effort to promote more births in the aging nation.

Friday's vote, 46-43 with four abstentions, follows approval in the lower house of parliament. It now needs the signature of the president, who supports it.

Poland already allows IVF in licensed clinics, but has lacked coherent legal and logistical regulations. In a recent blunder, a woman was implanted with the wrong egg.

The legislation was backed by the ruling Civic Platform party. It was opposed by the conservative and pro-Catholic opposition Law and Justice party, which says IVF treats embryos as objects rather than human beings.

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