THE groundbreaking legal case being fought by Natallie Evans has huge implications, not only for her but for thousands of other women.

As the law stands embryos created through fertility treatment must be destroyed if either party involved withdraws their consent.

Her legal team is arguing that to destroy the embryos that are her only chance to have a child of her own breaches her rights under the European Convention of Human Rights and the law discriminates against women who cannot become pregnant naturally.

Miss Evans said: "If I had been pregnant when my fianc left me the law would be completely different."

The embryos she is fighting to save were created, with her former fianc Howard Johnston, after she found she had ovarian cancer. Doctors operated to remove her ovaries, bringing on an early menopause and leaving her unable to have children.

She said: "Now I am being told that I can't be treated like any other woman who has the sole right to decide the future of her child once she is pregnant."

The Appeal Court judges who, on Friday, upheld a High Court ruling against Miss Evans, said in future couples undergoing IVF treatment should come to an agreement about what would happen to the embryos should they separate or the genetic father die before implantation.