Lithuania’s Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that limiting access to assisted reproduction to only married or partnered women violates the Constitution, prompting the government to pledge broader access to the procedure.
The ruling found that the current Assisted Reproduction Law discriminates against single women and unmarried couples, breaching the constitutional principle that all individuals are equal and cannot be restricted based on gender, race, nationality, language, origin, social status, beliefs, or opinions.
Following the decision, the government said it will amend the law to make assisted reproduction services available to all women facing infertility.
“The government respects and will implement the Constitutional Court’s decision by adopting the necessary legislation to ensure assisted reproduction services are accessible to all women suffering from infertility,” Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas’ adviser, Justinas Argustas, told BNS on Thursday.
He noted that this commitment is also part of the Social Democratic Party’s parliamentary election platform.
The court also ruled that the state has a constitutional obligation to care for public health and to guarantee access to medical services. It emphasised that health care must be provided equally when there is an established medical need, regardless of a person’s marital or partnership status.
The ruling takes effect on April 10, 2026, giving lawmakers one year to revise the Assisted Reproduction Law to comply with the Constitution.
Currently, the law permits assisted reproduction only using the genetic material of a woman and her spouse or registered partner. While some exceptions exist, the law requires the couple to have a formally registered partnership.
A previous effort in the parliament to expand access to assisted reproduction for single women and unmarried couples failed. Critics of the proposal argued that the procedure should remain limited to traditional couples, claiming that allowing single women to access it would serve personal desires rather than medical needs.
The Constitutional Court’s decision now mandates a shift in policy, affirming that reproductive health services are a matter of equal rights, not personal circumstance.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
