But in the end there is no other way to choose

But in the end, there is no other way to choose."In this case the social worker found that the woman had had a disastrous start in life: when she was 23 her three children were taken into care after her husband and father sexually assaulted them. If there are doubts, a social worker can be called in to investigate and difficult cases go to a hospital ethics committee. When the prospective parents have passed the basic criteria, each according to their health authority, they are placed on a list strictly in order of first come first served "That can be harrowing for us," says Dr Virginia Bolton. According to the Chief Executive, their contract with King's stipulates that IVF should be available to women who have no surviving children of the current relationship (but could have from previous relationships), and it does not stipulate that they must be married. But if, say, the woman had been sent by East Riding Health Authority, she would have had to be married for at least three years, with no children, not even from a previous relationship, or adopted.At King's College all patients are required to fill out a long form, which is also sent to their GP. That means patients are treated according to postcode - one of the most unjust aspects of the current NHS.This patient lives in the catchment area of Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark Health Authority, one of the more flexible purchasers. The Department of Health refuses to issue guidelines to ensure that there is at least equal treatment everywhere.

This lottery guarantees an outcry whenever an apparently "undeserving" woman gets treatment.This latest case is happening at King's College Hospital, London. Like the other main centres, they offer IVF to any patients from health authorities with whom they have contracts, and each sets its own criteria for treatment. Rationing has always been a thinly veiled fact of life in the NHS, but rarely can it have been done as randomly and unfairly as over IVF. And that is partly because doctors have refused to operate it, leaving it up to the whim of local health authorities. (He protested that she might have many good years ahead, and her husband was healthy.) But Lord Winston, like most infertility doctors, has always said he will not decide who will make the best parents: "I refuse to play God." It is easy to understand why - after all, God himself does the job absurdly badly.The doctors may wriggle out of this particular who-lives-and-who-dies dilemma, though they busily play God in a number of other medical specialisms, deciding who gets kidneys or at what stage "Do Not Resuscitate" notices are added to patients' notes. The doyen of them all, Lord Winston, of Hammersmith Hospital, was done over recently for agreeing to give IVF to an HIV-positive woman. A woman who has had three children taken into care and two abortions is seeking IVF (test-tube baby) treatment on the NHS.

What's more, her consultant and her GP are supporting her request Good story And there are plenty more where that came from. The Mandy Allwood octuplets may be the most extreme example yet, but infertility clinics can be guaranteed to turn out hot stories by the dozen, tales of "unsuitable" people whom the state has assisted to become parents. With 3,000 IVF babies born a year and numbers rising annually, the tabloid potential is tremendous. But IVF doctors are becoming increasingly anxious, as one after another gets roughed up by the press. The car salesman made a beeline for the chap, showing him everything in the showroom. After 45 minutes the salesman realised his mistake and rushed up to her. "I told him the car I wanted and that I wanted pounds 1,000 off the price He said he could only do pounds 500.

I said pounds 1,000 or no deal and that I also wanted a bunch of flowers for his rudeness. And I got it, too."So the next time a stranger pops the "married" question, think of Joy Tinkler. She says the proper question, for security reasons, is: "Would you like to have somebody with you during the visit?" That's how to sell to a woman - or a man.. Yet another "scandalous" infertility case has hit the headlines. Needless to say, she bought her kitchen elsewhere.Joy Tinkler, one of Everest's top sales reps, says the key is to find the decision-maker "It's something you just get a feel for," she says "A lot of reps won't present to a woman on her own. They have this outmoded belief that men hold the purse-strings," she says Her salespeople do not ask that question. I have no qualms about selling to a lady on her own if I realise she is the decision maker."She tells the story about buying a car A friend, male, went with her.