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Cambodia – police raid child surrogacy ring involving 33 surrogate mothers
On Saturday, 23 June, Cambodian police raided a child surrogacy ring in Phnom Penh, and arrested five people including one Chinese national. "33 women were involved. Some had already given birth whilst others were still at various stages of pregnancy". Each...
Pontifical Academy for Life: Pope Francis calls for a healthy vision of bioethics
The "dignity of every person, in every phase and condition of existence" was stressed by Pope Francis on 25 June 2018 to delegates at the XXIVth General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life (PAV). Entitled "Equal beginnings. But then? A global...
In Canada, 30% increase in requests for medical assistance in dying during the second half of 2017
Health Canada[1] has just published the latest figures on medical assistance in dying and the authorisation of this practice governed by the laws of December 2015 in Quebec (see Quebec: "medical assistance in dying continues to soar) and July 2016 for the rest of the...
Irish Government to rule to allow same-sex couples to register both names on babies’ birth certificates
In Ireland, the 2015 Children and Family Relationships Act grants same-sex couples parental rights. Currently, although the law allows donor-assisted reproduction, the biological mother retains a certain number of advantages. In the case of same-sex couples,...
Two surrogacy contracts for one baby – who is the real father?
A five-year-old boy has been at the heart of a legal battle ever since he was born. His mother, also known as "petite cigogne" (little stork)on a classified ad site, was approached by two gay men in 2012, namely Alexandre Lerch and Anthony. In exchange for...
Bioethics laws: “Human embryos – the adjustment variable in a political game”
"There has been a direct link between medically assisted reproduction and human embryo research since the practice of the former in France has generated a stockpile of 'available' embryos", explains Jean-Marie Le Méné, President of the Lejeune Foundation, "and...
Is the US Supreme Court hanging in the balance?
On Wednesday, 27 June, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement effective on 31 July 2018. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States—its judgements set precedence. President Donald Trump will initiate a selection process to...
Wales introduces home abortions
Home abortions have been introduced in Wales. In the case of a medical abortion, women have to take two tablets within 72 hours of each other, firstly Mifepristone, which blocks progesterone, followed by Misoprostol, which triggers contractions. Before, women living...
Woman gives birth to baby boy in Italy after receiving uterus transplant from her twin sister
A woman with a congenital malformation gave birth to a baby boy on Thursday, after receiving a uterus transplant from her twin sister. The baby was born in Bologna, Italy, to a Serbian woman living and followed up in Italy. The procedure was carried out at the...
For the new Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, surrogacy is “the latest utilization of women’s bodies”
In an interview in the daily newspaper, El País, on 12 June, the new Deputy Prime Minister, Carmen Calvo, announced a strong and clear-cut opposition to surrogacy. When asked whether this could be legalised, she commented as follows: "Our position is clear. It is...
For Pope Francis, the abortion of sick foetuses is eugenics in “white gloves”
Addressing members of family associations on Saturday, 16 June, Pope Francis made a plea to families, urging them to welcome every child "even if at times they are sick". He strongly condemned abortions carried out in the case of disability and denounced the "murder...
South-East Asia – a real reproduction supply chain for Chinese couples
Increasing numbers of Chinese people are "ordering their IVF" in South-East Asian countries, especially Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. Although the cost is far higher than in China where IVF therapy costs 30,000 Yuan, i.e. €3,980, they avoid long waiting lists (over...