Surrogacy. The debate on "surrogates" birth in the complexity

The Photo Monde2 June 19, 2009 (S. Clair)

The law on bioethics , ethics vi e which we can better understand the latest news by reading this, will take a position on the issue of surrogacy, better known under the item of debate surrogates .

This is a complex issue that lawmakers will have to decide. Today, this possibility is forbidden in France. "The fact to mediate" to resort to this practice is punishable by one year in prison and 15,000 euros fine. The fine is doubled if the act is done for profit reasons. The French ban was passed in 1994 and again in 2004. So far there have been cases of surrogate mothers in France, authorized by law since there is no variance, no variance is because the law did not exist. It was between 1987 and 1991. The number of children born to mothers during this period is estimated at 70. To my knowledge, there are no epidemiological studies on the monitoring of these children since that could allow lawmakers to decide in full knowledge of the facts and avoid the fantasies of both sides. (Shift 24/06/2009: The Express returns in its edition of Thursday, June 25 on this issue via an article repeating the journey of three families with the testimonies of children born to mothers).

Many today are people and organizations to take a stand on this issue.

Among the proponents of a controlled surrogacy authorization are: the Association Maia , the Committee Clara , Elisabeth Badinter , the Minister for Family, Nadine Morano , Genevieve Delaisi Perceval, a working group of the Senate.

Among the opponents, the ranks included more we find, the "father" of the first French test-tube baby, the doctor René Frydman , philosopher Sylviane Agacinski, the Housing Minister Christine Boutin, the 'OPESCT (dedicated to the Parliamentary Office ethics which includes several deputies and senators sensitive to these issues and publish reports), the National Consultative Ethics Committee , Catholic and Protestant as well as representatives of Islam and to a lesser extent the churches c onsistoire of Paris . About opponents, René Frydman said he was "outraged by the lobbying of some associations that advocate the legalization of this practice to defend the interests of wealthy few." It's scathing, strong, perhaps too.

Each side has their own influence to advance his ideas. Interviews are given, open blogs, participation in conferences and seminars companies, mail and files sent to parliamentarians, reflections committed to advance his ideas, defend his point of view (as the synthesis of the Board State shows) increase its visibility and participate in the construction of the decision on this complex subject.

Arguments.

1. . « Donner » son corps le temps d'une grossesse pour qu'un couple puisse accueillir son propre enfant est un acte altruiste de haut niveau. Accept act of generosity. "Giving" his body time to pregnancy for a couple can receive their own child is a selfless act of highest level. This was the main motivation for French surrogacy in the late 80s. This act is sometimes proposed by relatives of the woman who can not bear his child's mother, sister, friend ... http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6hb3u
2. Avoid procreative tourism. Several countries in the world accept surrogacy. These include the United States, Canada, Belgium, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Denmark and Greece, five countries of the European Union. Other countries, such as India, accept this practice and conduct an industrialization of the process as it will be objected by opponents of the legalization. Accept surrogacy would thus avoid double standard measures between those who have the financial and cultural means of establishing contacts abroad in this sense, and those who, for various reasons, can not do . According to this argument is that the principle of equality prevails.
3. . Comme le suggère l'affaire Mennesson , recourir aux mères porteuses à l'étranger n'est pas sans poser problème lors du retour en France des parents biologiques avec leur enfant. Avoid civil status issues. As suggested Mennesson case , use of surrogate mothers abroad is not without its problems upon returning to France biological parents with their child. Who is this child? The child's mother under French law? Who is his mother in law? One who delivers the child. QED. However, the interest of the child, that here have a legal identity, a civil status, without which no act of everyday life can be achieved (a passport, vote, pass an exam ...) is important, in our culture on all other principles can be put forward.
4. Do not refuse the advances in medical technology. While the donation of gametes, male and female, sperm and ova, is allowed, that embryo donation is accepted, why is it that the loan of his body be forbidden a consenting person? Under q ual ethical or moral? Would it not deny the interest of scientific progress in the medical field to reject this progress is reaching?
5. Help combat the suffering of women who can not have children. Beyond the issue of convenience that could motivate women not to give birth (fear of childbirth, fear of the decay of the body thereafter anxiety about the pain ...), there are a number of purely medical reasons that prevent women to bear children. This is the case of women whose uterus has been altered by radiation, for example, women affected by the syndrome of Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser . In total, it is estimated, according to Cross, 300 the number of women affected by the syndrome Mayer and postpartum hemorrhage. But in society of ours, there is a strong social pressure (not to mention the biological and psychological stress) that women of childbearing age would. This partly explains the fertility levels in our country, and it reinforces the suffering of those who can not afford the social role that is given to them.
6. Movement is emerging in the opinion. Not that the French, according to polls, have become largely for this, but one third of them are not opposites. Now we know the laws that lead to profound changes can not be made without the consent of a large part of the population. For at least two reasons, first, because it allows proponents of this evolution to have support and relay in the public, secondly, because it suddenly cut the grass under the feet of opponents more in support of the opinion, it is less of opponents in the street, on internet forums, in newspaper columns. Today, however, in terms of public opinion, the game is not won for supporters of legalization. However, they have passed their first bet: put on the public square question. It is no longer taboo. This is the first essential step in the recognition of surrogacy.
7. This is already done, it is done. The argument seeks to show that these practices are ancient and still current, despite the ban, are somewhat specious in terms of the morality of public debate, but it is a fact. In France, as I mentioned in the introduction, it was a reality tolerated for four years. And even today, without that we know how many people are involved, this practical course. If it is not in the center of the country at least by citizens traveling abroad.
8. And the father in all this? Often seen as the issue of surrogacy affects mostly women. It is true that there is no father-carrier and for good reason. However, "women can not have children on their own." At one point at least, just before fertilization while the man is required. By his presence, and his ejaculation, or in absentia, having frozen his own sperm or donating his sperm in a CECOS. Or in the case of a couple of potential parents, a man and a woman so under the law, if you have seen the power of hope, desire, or need, feminine, instead of the father, his wish, his desire or need, is neglected. It has also the right to have children, if it exists. And in a free society, he can decide who he wants to be. If the woman he wants to mother of his children can not accommodate pregnancy of their child, not where it undergoes a double punishment. That of seeing his wife suffer and that not being able to be a father.

Arguments against.

1. There is no GPA without trade. This is a punchline. In many cases, surrogacy is manipulated to become a business. In India, women confined in a shelter, are recruited to become surrogate mothers on behalf of foreign and domestic wealthy who "buy" this opportunity for a little less than 10,000 euros. In Ukraine, it takes 15,000 euros. In North America, about 40,000 euros. Depending on the nature of contracts, legal liability, insurance, the price varies. The earth is flat, wrote the American journalist Thomas Friedman. Nothing is more true regarding surrogacy. You can choose the area of ​​production and guarantees that come with it. The argument is without question but it remains theoretical. Nobody can say exactly that France would happen the same way as the practice is prohibited. Everything leads us to believe that this is a significant obstacle to acceptance by the public: a child can not have a price, though here we are not talking about buying children but loan or lease bellies then evicting the tenant.
2. This is not "a public health priority." In an interview on this issue with the weekly L'Express, the gynecologist René Frydman, already indicates that requests for assisted reproduction, which is favorable in Fertilization vitro, artificial insemination ... are difficult to meet. For reasons of ways in the few medical centers offering these services or because of a strong lack of gamete donors. Thus, the Biomedicine Agency says in its annual report that 400 couples a year are waiting for egg donation but only 220 women volunteers each year to keep the gift inherent in medical treatment and ultimately to several their eggs.
3. The medical profession does not accept this technique. The vast majority of doctors are reluctant to accept changes in the legislation on surrogacy. Jean-François Mattei, MD, former health minister, author of a remarkable book on bioethics, asserts against for the reasons outlined here. However, even if at the time of the debate the authorization of the Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy in France in the early 70's, there were more than 10,000 sign against the anti-abortion appeal, it is difficult to change laws Bioethics without their consultation or their consent. The pressure group that is, even if his face is not always united, is a strong power of influence especially as the number of parliamentarians from their ranks and therefore less sensitive to atavism their arguments .
4. The status of the surrogate mother is blurred a legal point of view. Who is the woman who gives birth to a child who is not biologically his? Who is this child to this woman giving birth? We do not measure well the psychological effects for the woman who gave birth to her child leave his biological mother. The Working Group of the Senate who has studied the issue suggests that the surrogate mother can change your mind within three days after delivery. That is to say, it may decide to keep the child who is not quite far from it his own. Usually, in the classical case, during the three days following the birth of a child, the whole family, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, friends came to the maternity hospital, or the kitchen, or in the pool, to see the child, praise the mother, the father of the child, talk about his resemblance to so and so, give gifts, take her in his arms. At birth the child was already nine months. Is given, it was given a name, an identity. He was welcomed into the family with open arms. It is the future. There is hope. How then accept that for three days, three long days, a couple is in the feverish expectation of a change of mind parturient? What anguish! What suffering of waiting! Finally, what about the visitation binding might ask the surrogate mother? She still carried the child, fed, talked, perhaps even whispered words of love. And if that is not the case, as studies have shown the importance of the peace of the mother during pregnancy and the presence of the father, why this child would deprive it, from the Initially, beyond the vicissitudes of life of couple of these attentions.
5. This implies that a contract is not eligible. Use a surrogate requires a contract between the two parties, the carrier and recipients, with commitments from both sides, rights, duties. From a philosophical point of view, this assujétion, the alienation of man by man is not admissible. This is already happening in the contracts, but not with these implications, this constancy during the time of pregnancy. This contract also entails legal responsibilities. What will happen if the surrogate mother prefers to show off the alcohol to strawberries, rolled cigarette Russian cigarette? Selection of surrogate mothers should be able to guarantee upstream partly serious candidates but can not ensure full loyalty of the surrogate mother vis-à-vis its commitments.
6. And if the biological parents refuse the child This question is rarely asked. Presumably a couple who engages in this process knows why he undertakes his thinking has matured, tried everything outside of this process. But what if during the time of pregnancy parents separate? Does the common law on parental authority applies? How to decide?

The issue of opening of surrogacy for gay couples does not arise here. Because it is assumed that it is the biological child from the gametes of a couple, thus differentiated between men and women, which is carried by a surrogate mother.

We see from reading these arguments together that this issue is complicated by its possible consequences. It also confronts us with our assumptions. As Sylviane Agacinski said, "In this field, France is not late, she is ahead." Everyone will be his opinion , Sylviane Agacinski is clearly against, but in any event, our country is undoubtedly ahead of the issue of public debate around this issue.

Mikaël Cabon

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