CREATING LIFE…

JOURNAL QUESTION: Out of the 3 reproductive technologies we discussed yesterday (AI, IVF & SURROGACY), which methods seem morally good to you? Which ones do not? Why?

SURROGATE MOTHERHOOD A “surrogate mother” is a woman who agrees to carry a child to term that is not her own child IVF Surrogacy The embryo is conceived through IVF and then implanted into another woman “Natural” Surrogacy The surrogate mother is artificially inseminated but it is HER OWN egg

California Surrogacy Law California is generally accepting of surrogacy agreements, particularly when the couple seeking surrogacy has contributed some of the genetic material. While the state has no statute directly addressing surrogacy, state courts have used the Uniform Parentage Act to interpret several cases concerning surrogacy agreements. In fact, one of the most influential cases regarding surrogacy rights (Johnson v. Calvert) was decided in in California. In 1993's Johnson v. Calvert, the California Supreme Court held that the intended parents in a gestational-surrogacy agreement (an agreement in which the carrying mother had no genetic relationship to the baby) should be recognized as the natural and legal parents. Since the intended mother donated the egg but the surrogate mother gave birth, the court decided that the person who intended to procreate should be considered the natural mother. http://www.surromomsonline.com/articles/ts_contract.htm

Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer An egg is taken from a woman’s ovary Sperm is taken from the man The egg and sperm are placed in a tiny tube, separated by an air bubble The contents of this tube are injected into the Fallopian Tube The hope is that the sperm and the egg will meet and conception will occur

QUESTIONS FROM THE BOOK: AI Does the “introduction of a third party” into the procreative act violate your marriage covenant? Is it unfair to bring a child into the world who doesn’t know the identity of his/her father? Is it unfair that children will be denied information of their medical history? Is it ethical to donate or sell your sperm that will bring a new life into the world that you will never know? Is it dangerous to have ONE sperm donor fertilize MULTIPLE EGGS that can lead to genetic “half- brothers and half-sisters?”

QUESTIONS FROM THE BOOK: IVF Could IVF increase your chances of ovarian cancer? What about a success rate of only 20-30%? Is this worth the thousands of dollars per treatment that is NOT covered by insurance? What should be done with the “extra” embryos? What about the fact that 30-40% of frozen embryos are destroyed in the thawing process?

QUESTIONS FROM THE BOOK: SM What do you think about involving potentially 5 people in the procreative act? Does Surrogate Motherhood exploit poorer women? [think of Baby Momma] What about the emotional bond created between a mother and the baby in her womb? Do surrogacy contracts really have legal power?