IVF, same-sex couples and the value of biological ties. Issue 12 (9th September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Di Nucci, Ezio
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical ethics. Volume 42:Issue 12(2016)
• Page Start: 784
• Page End: 787
• Publication Date: 2016-09-09
• Subjects: Reproductive Medicine; Medical ethics -- Periodicals; 174.2
• DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2015-103257
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-6800

Abstract

Abstract : Ought parents, in general, to value being biologically tied to their children? Is it important, in particular, that both parents be biologically tied to their children? I will address these fundamental questions by looking at a fairly new practice within IVF treatments, so-called IVF-with-ROPA (Reception of Oocytes from Partner), which allows lesbian couples to 'share motherhood', with one partner providing the eggs while the other becomes pregnant. I believe that IVF-with-ROPA is, just like other IVF treatments, morally permissible, but here I argue that the increased biological ties which IVF-with-ROPA allows for do not have any particular value beside the satisfaction of a legitimate wish, because there is no intrinsic value in a biological tie between parents and children; further, I argue that equality within parental projects cannot be achieved by redistributing biological ties.