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leira's comments:
on The Ethics of Egg Donation
Birth certificates have always been a poor method for tracking genetics. This is not a new issue.
In the case of adoption, birth certificates are generally re-issued with the names of the adoptive parents, and the originals are unavailable.
In the case of sperm donation, the name of the intended father appears on the birth certificate, not the name of the sperm donor.
In the case of, let us call it "indiscretion," the name of the father appearing on the birth certificate might not be the genetic father, though it is very likely the legal one. This varies by state, but in MA, for instance, a woman's husband is by default her child's father, and his name will appear on the birth certificate, regardless of genetic connection. This can be changed if all involved parties agree, but it is a complicated process.
So again, birth certificates have been a poor means for tracking genetics for as long as they've been in existence. Thankfully, genetic testing today is widely available and (relatively) inexpensive, so if a person has concerns, they can be resolved fairly easily.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on The Ethics of Egg Donation
Thanks for sticking with it, missrose.
Donors like you make children like mine possible, and we're immensely grateful.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on The Ethics of Egg Donation
This is a very good question. Sperm donation has a very long history behind it (more than 100 years), and we could learn a lot from it. You're correct that it's not making the news every couple of weeks, and many if the issues are exactly the same.
There are some differences, most notably that egg donation is a much longer and more involved process, which includes more medical risk for the donor. In most cases, it also requires careful coordination and timing with the recipient -- and will continue to require this until the technology for freezing eggs is significantly improved (sperm and fertilized embryos freeze relatively well, but eggs do not). We're on the cusp of this now, but we're not there yet.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on The Ethics of Egg Donation
jaimearthur, the disposition of any embryos after the recipient's family is complete is spelled out explicitly in the contract between donor and recipient.
Available options for embryos include: transfer to the same recipient(s), donation to (an)other recipient(s), research, and disposal.
Sometimes the choice is left completely to the recipient. Sometimes the donor stipulates a smaller subset (for instance, research or disposal, but not donation to another couple). In any case, it is worked out in advance.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on The Ethics of Egg Donation
kamanu, what you're saying does not apply to anonymous sperm donors who have signed up as such. That is the comparison here.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on The Ethics of Egg Donation
First of all, let's be clear that no one is being "paid for eggs." Donors are compensated for their time, effort, inconvenience, and the medical risk that they undertake.
Regarding "there are no laws on the books governing [...] how selective egg recipients can be about traits from hair color to intelligence in their quest to create the ideal child," I'd hasten to point out that there are also no laws governing how selective I can be about the hair color or intelligence of my spouse, whose genetics I also used to "create the ideal child." I think most people would agree that it's absurd to suggest that there should be.
If I can choose the hair color or the intelligence of my spouse, why shouldn't I have the opportunity to choose the same for my egg donor?
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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