Blog of Parag

Gestational license

Sometimes, you look at how people treat their children and think that there should be a licensing procedure for allowing people to have children. Sometimes, I question my own abilities to be a parent. But, jokes aside, this may be the first attempt to control reproduction by a US state. Check out this new proposed legislation in Indiana to control 'assisted reproduction'.

According to a draft of the recommended change in state law, every woman in Indiana seeking to become a mother through assisted reproduction therapy such as in vitro fertilization, sperm donation, and egg donation, must first file for a "petition for parentage" in their local county probate court.

Only women who are married will be considered for the "gestational certificate" that must be presented to any doctor who facilitates the pregnancy. Further, the "gestational certificate" will only be given to married couples that successfully complete the same screening process currently required by law of adoptive parents.

As it the draft of the new law reads now, an intended parent "who knowingly or willingly participates in an artificial reproduction procedure" without court approval, "commits unauthorized reproduction, a Class B misdemeanor." The criminal charges will be the same for physicians who commit "unauthorized practice of artificial reproduction."

It is ridiculous to have marriage as one of the requirements for getting the 'gestational certificate'. Senator Patricia Miller, who is the sponsor of this bill is basically saying that marriage should be a prerequisite for motherhood. I think this is just a veiled attempt to prevent gay couples from using these methods to achieve parenthood.

via Booman Tribune