Fertility: Ectogenesis And Its Many Concerns

The first time I heard the word ‘ectogenesis’ I never envisaged that it would turn out to mean what I eventually found out.

Now to every woman out there, for those of you who may just be getting to hear the word ‘ectogenesis’ for the first time, it means pregnancy in an artificial womb, that is, outside the human body.

I am not talking about IVF here, neither am I talking about surrogacy. It is a whole lot different from IVF which is the transfer of a fertilized embryo into a woman for gestational period or even surrogacy. No! ectogenesis is a whole lot different from that as the pregnancy starts from fertilization to birth in the artificial womb. An environment which is entirely different from the human body, created by scientists.

Permit me to say “this leaves some sort of bitter-sweet taste in the mouth”, because for some people, it could be an applauded idea but not so for a lot of other people.

Now, let’s see it from the sweet perspective. It will be ‘hurray’ news for a lot of women who have being battling with infertility due to some medical issue or some other unexplained issues beyond what the doctors can fathom. So for such people who, despite their medical issues, may not still want to have surrogates help with the birth of their children for fear of legal complications, this news will come as sweet for them especially if they can afford it.

On the other hand, with the way science is going, it’s as though the natural process of childbirth is getting threatened as a lot of women especially ‘feminists’ who do not want their bodies altered in anyway due to pregnancy would resort to the ‘ectogenesis’ method of childbearing and before you know it, it becomes a class or status thing thereby giving those who still engage in natural childbearing process the look of ‘low-class people who cannot afford ectogenesis’ and thereafter become another form of stigmatisation in the society.

It is worrisome when you hear people who do not have fertility issues but would go on to say ‘I need a baby but I can’t put up with having to carry the baby in my womb for nine months so I’d rather have someone do it for me’. Gosh! What a selfish thought!!

Like someone said, when a woman says such a thing, what is the guarantee that she can take care of that child after it is born?  Good question isn’t it?

A lot of women would give anything just to experience childbirth and so it is alarming to see very fortunate ones take it for granted.

Now back to the issue of ectogenesis. Some people’s fears have been raised as they foresee an over populated world in the nearest future if the practice becomes highly accepted by thousands of people. Others fear that the biological female reproductive labour may not become necessary anymore and could eventually become outdated.

However another group of people believe that if laws and legislation are put up to curtail the abuse of the

practice then it would be a great idea for those who really do need the procedure.

Now, what say you?

TYRA BANKS ADDS ANOTHER GOOD ✓ TICK TO SURROGACY

After struggling with fertility for a period, Tyra Banks with Erik Asla, a Norwegian photographer and her boyfriend, reached a consensus and thereafter, a few weeks after a successful gestational surrogate period, Tyra in a lovely picture, looking every inch natural like the Tyra we've always known, simple, beautiful with those lovely eyes of hers, on Sunday February 14th which was valentine's day finally through her instagram page let us catch a first sight of her 'newly arrived' baby boy.

The baby boy named York, whom she said has her "fingers and big eyes" and "mouth and chin" like Asla's, who is the father of the baby, was shown in the picture (as seen on the left) wrapped and snuggled into his mother’s bosom as she was caught staring in a direction with an expression which read "so I finally made it" or "this really feels good".

The 42 year old top model in her exact words on instagram wrote, “This is the Happiest Valentine’s Day of my life, York, Daddy @erikasla and I send you so much love.”

In an interview she had with PEOPLE some time ago after York was born said “As I gaze into the beautiful eyes of my son, I think about all the people who struggle with fertility or carrying a child and continue to pray for them every day. My hopes and dreams are filled with well wishes that they get to feel what my little treasure, York Banks Asla, feels like in my arms.”

She had at that time of the interview while thanking the "angel of a woman" that helped in carrying their "miracle baby" to term, mentioned that the little boy has her “fingers and big eyes and Asla’s mouth and chin" and also prayed for everyone struggling to reach "this joyous milestone" even as she welcomed "York Banks Asla to the world.” 

 

Now, that's another 'thumbs up' for surrogacy and further encouragement for all those struggling with fertility, especially those who can afford it.

Here is a quick understanding of what surrogacy means, for all those who do not have an idea. Surrogacy is the carrying of a pregnancy for intended parents/couple by a third party and there are two main types of surrogacy, gestational and traditional surrogacy. According to medical definition, gestational surrogacy is the pregnancy which results from the transfer of an embryo created by in vitro fertilization (IVF), just like in the case of Tyra Banks and Alsa whose embryo and sperm were used respectively, in a manner so the resulting child is genetically unrelated to the surrogate as all she does is to help the couple carry the baby to term.

The second type of surrogacy which is traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is impregnated naturally or artificially, but the resulting child is genetically related to the surrogate as her embryo was used which would at the end of the day involve more legal agreements before and after the child is born, hence gestational surrogacy which is considered less legally complex is a lot more accepted by couples in different parts of the world, especially the United states.

Also in gestational surrogacy, the female may get an embryo from a donor which can be used with the sperm from her partner/husband for the IVF so that the surrogate will still be unrelated genetically to the surrogate.

Now for all those who still desire to have babies and can afford it, you can choose any of the aforementioned and be happy. Some women have died avoidable deaths in trying to get pregnant and have babies at all costs even when it is medically unsafe for them to do so. It's time for every society to accept surrogacy, make the methods cheaper thereby making life sweeter and more meaningful for all those couples and people suffering with one form of infertility or the other.

Well done TYRA and ASLA for adding another  ✓to the number of existing ticks on surrogacy.

And finally, welcome to the world baby YORK!