A woman has alleged that her chances of having a baby have been ruined after test-tube embryos were destroyed without her knowledge.

The woman's MP has described her experience as appalling and is to campaign for a change in the regulations.

Margaret Grant, 42, from Inverness, had been receiving IVF treatment while married.

The embryos had been created with eggs donated by another woman and fertilised using her former husband Ian's sperm.

It was my only chance of having a family, my one and only chance snatched away from me

Margaret Grant

She was divorced from her husband in January 2001 but when she tried to discuss the IVF treatment, she was told the embryos had been destroyed at her ex-husband's request.

She confirmed she intended to fight for changes to the rules with the help of the Inverness East Labour MP, David Stewart.

Mrs Grant said: "This is the whole point - to be able to fight for changes in the law and the code of practice which doesn't have any provision for couples who do split up.

"He basically just sought to destroy the embryos. He approached the hospital."

The MP said the news was given to Mrs Grant in a letter from a nurse manager at Aberdeen University's Assisted Reproduction Unit.

Mrs Grant wants a change to the law

He will now fight for changes in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority code of practice and said he was "appalled" by the case.

Mr Stewart said: "I don't believe that the code of practice was followed on that occasion.

"I think it's a very distressing situation that Mrs Grant then contacted the hospital to find that all five embryos had been destroyed by the hospital.

"I'm not suggesting that anything was carried out illegally.

"What I am suggesting is that the code of practice which is being administered by the authority does suggest that both husband and wife are consulted before the embryos are destroyed.

Treatment

"I think, frankly, it's a disgrace what has happened to Mrs Grant. I was appalled when I heard about it."

Mrs Grant had been receiving IVF treatment in Aberdeen and the five embryos had been created before the couple split up in 1998.

She added: "When I heard the news, I was absolutely devastated.

"I thought they were still there for me. I now have no chance of having further IVF treatment.

"It was my only chance of having a family, my one and only chance snatched away from me."

Mr Stewart said the case is only the second of its kind that he was aware of in Scotland, and confirmed he intended raising the issue in the Commons.

Mr Grant was not available for comment.