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Latest Surrogacy News
Italy Adopts New
Restrictive Reproductive Rights Law
Sabina Castelfranco
Rome 11 Dec 2003, 20:19
VOA
After years of debate,
Italy's center-right government has managed to push
through parliament a new restrictive law on reproductive
rights. Under the new law, such practices as donating
sperm or eggs and surrogate motherhood will be banned.
Only established couples will be able to use modern
technology to help them have a baby, and only using
biological inputs from themselves.
Members of Italy's government praised the approval of
the new legislation, which they say brings an end to
what they call "Far West" practices used to help women
have babies.
The bill was approved Thursday by a wide margin in
the upper house of the Italian parliament, with many
opposition deputies joining the ruling coalition in
voting in favor of the proposal. Supporters say Italy
finally has a law that protects the embryo and
guarantees a child's right to know who his or her
parents are.
The new legislation is among the most restrictive in
Europe, and is believed to be result of the strong
influence the Catholic Church exerts in Italy on issues
affecting the family and reproduction.
Liberals are outraged at what they see as severe
restrictions on the rights of women. Critics denounced
the new legislation as medieval, and said the move could
be a prelude to an effort to make abortion illegal in
Italy. Many complained that the bill will force
thousands of couples who can afford it to travel abroad
to seek treatment, while others who cannot afford to go
outside the country will not be able to get the services
at all.
The bill allows assisted reproduction only to
infertile married couples or those who can provide
evidence of living together in a stable manner.
Homosexual couples and single women will not be able to
have artificial insemination in Italy.
The use of sperm or eggs of a donor are banned as is
turning to a surrogate mother. Italy becomes the only
country in Europe to have such restrictions.
The bill also bans the freezing of embryos resulting
from artificial insemination or their use for research
purposes. Doctors will only be able to fertilize and
implant up to three embryos at a time. And the new law
bans examining an embryo for malformation before it is
implanted.
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