Monday, May 23, 2011

In New Zealand one couple per week heads overseas for a baby

In the United States a woman can be paid for her time and effort to donate her eggs or to carry someone else's baby. That is not so in most parts of the world, where paying a woman for her work (and make no mistake about it, it's work) is illegal. That is exactly what Mellany and Simon have had to do as they live in New Zealand, where paying a woman for her services to donate her eggs is illegal. As a result, there are very few women who will donate for altruistic reasons, so many couples are forced to go abroad.

Can you imagine traveling to a foreign country to have your family? If you are from New Zealand at least you do not have to deal with the language barrier if you come to the US, but what about those from Spain? France?

Mellany and Simon have been trying for eight years and they say:
Nothing would be too great to realise the dream....You just expect that you're going to get older get married have a family and live happily ever after.
I was fortunate enough to only have to travel to another state where my children were born via surrogacy so I have great compassion for those who come halfway around the world to become a family.

However, bioethicist Professor Gareth Jones says:
Do we want to have markets of buying and selling for not only human tissue but also children, or babies? I think there are issues involved here ethically.
What say you? As always feel free to comment below.

9 comments:

Michael Condon said...

Hi

The laws on surrogacy vary from place to place. Commonality would be good, but not at the cost of conservatism ruling. However, the biggest need I see if using oocytes (eggs) or sperm from overseas (or within Australia) is that the donor is willing to be fully identiable for any future conceived child when child acheived 18 (or earlier by agreement). Genetic identity is important for a person, as well as who gestated them and who is their mother and father (mum and dad). Donor egg, sperm or embryo is a genetic opportunity, not a parenting agreement, but the identity of these persons, ultruistic or paid, is/may be psychologically essential for a resultant child when they grow up.

Michael Condon
Infertility Counsellor
Clinical Psychologist
Queensland

Stephanie Caballero said...

Great comments Michael and lots to think about. More couples are speaking to me about what is in the best interests of their child than ever before and how that child may want to have contact with their donor. Talking about this issue can only help those born via third-party reproduction.

Surrogacy said...

yes it is true ,the laws of surrogacy vary from place to place.

Surrogacy said...

What a great info, thank you for sharing. this will help me so much in my learning.

Egg donation said...

This is a really good read for me, Must admit that you are one of the best bloggers I ever saw.Thanks for posting this informative article.

Stephanie Caballero said...

Thanks, Egg Donation. I really should post more often.

Stephanie Caballero said...

Surrogacy, I'm glad I could help. Thanks!

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