Third-party reproductive assistance around the Mediterranean: comparing Sunni Egypt, Catholic Italy and multisectarian Lebanon

Reprod Biomed Online. 2010 Dec;21(7):848-53. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2010.09.008. Epub 2010 Sep 26.

Abstract

The article examines religious and legal restrictions on third-party reproductive assistance in three Mediterranean countries: Sunni Egypt, Catholic Italy and multisectarian Lebanon. In Egypt, assisted reproduction treatments are permitted, but third parties are banned, as in the rest of the Sunni Islamic world. Italy became similar to Egypt with a 2004 law ending third-party reproductive assistance. In multisectarian Lebanon, however, the Sunni/Catholic ban on third-party reproductive assistance has been lifted, because of Shia rulings emanating from Iran. Today, third-party reproductive assistance is provided in Lebanon to both Muslims and Christians, unlike in neighbouring Egypt and Italy. Such comparisons point to the need for understanding the complex interactions between law, religion, local moralities and reproductive practices for global bioethics.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Attitude to Health
  • Catholicism*
  • Cultural Diversity*
  • Egypt
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infertility* / psychology
  • Infertility* / therapy
  • Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous / ethics
  • Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous / psychology
  • Islam*
  • Italy
  • Lebanon
  • Male
  • Medical Tourism / ethics
  • Medical Tourism / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Medical Tourism / psychology
  • Oocyte Donation / economics
  • Oocyte Donation / ethics
  • Oocyte Donation / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Oocyte Donation / psychology
  • Public Policy
  • Religion and Medicine*
  • Reproductive Rights / psychology
  • Reproductive Techniques, Assisted* / ethics
  • Reproductive Techniques, Assisted* / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Reproductive Techniques, Assisted* / psychology
  • Surrogate Mothers / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Surrogate Mothers / psychology