Abstract:
Advances in science and technology have made it
possible for women, men and couples who ordinarily
would not have been able to have children, to conceive
through assisted reproductive technology. Third party
reproduction or donor-assisted reproduction is a form of
reproduction in which DNA or gestation is provided by
a third party or donor other than the two intended
parents who will raise the resulting child. It includes
donor sperms, donor eggs, donor embryos and
surrogacy. The indications for gamete donation include
patients with primary ovarian insufficiency, those who
carry genetic diseases, same sex couples and those of
advanced age. It is a journey that involves psychological
preparation, legal issues, sociocultural issues and
ethical issues. The gestational carriers are always
known to the intended parents but the sperm, egg or
embryo donors may be anonymous. In their assessment
of 144 couples requiring egg donation, Baetens reported
that 68.8% of the couples preferred to utilize egg from
known donors as they fear the origin of the unknown
genetic material. Those who preferred to use
anonymous donors, wanted to establish explicit
boundaries between themselves and the donors
