Egg and Embryo Donation, Surrogacy

With the birth of Louise Brown in 1978 the ability to fertilize a human egg outside the uterus, replace it into the uterus of the genetic mother and achieve a successful pregnancy became a reality. What also became a reality is the fact that the uterus that an embryo is replaced into, does not have to be genetically related to the embryo. This opens up the field of third party reproduction beyond that of just sperm donation to include egg donation, embryo donation and surrogacy.

Recommendations made by the Royal Commission on assisted reproductive technologies in 1993 as well as the laws in Bill C-6 “An Act respecting assisted human reproduction” in March 2004 were enacted to prevent sperm, eggs, embryos and uteruses from becoming a commodity. All third party reproduction in Canada as of March 2004 has to be done for altruistic reasons. Individuals involved in third party reproduction can only be paid for receiptable expenses.

	Donor Egg
	Embryo donation
	Gestational surrogacy