Squires, Claire

Procreation by gamete donation: Parents’ fantastic scenarios and the child’s psychic construction - 2018.


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Just as the French National Consultative Ethics Committee pronounced itself in favour in June 2017 of the donation of sperm to lesbian couples and single women, the principles of no financial charge and anonymity that had prevailed for gamete storage banks came under debate. Assisted human reproduction for reasons of infertility had been the only form hitherto authorised but now other societal reasons were to be considered. In this context, the article addresses the way donors and couples awaiting a donation are currently received at the CECOS of a major Paris hospital (Cochin). Being unable to have children “naturally” is a tough experience. In the event of a heterological donation (with donor), couples have to overcome the partial break in the biological link with the child, which upsets imaginary and symbolic filiation markers. Couples are accompanied during the stages of such elective procreation so they can be helped to better understand the psychic issues of these new parenting scenarios.