I love living in Canada for many many reasons (including the fact that I am legally married to my partner). It is an incredible country with such diversity and - at least in my city - a place full of very accepting people.
But this sucks. It is illegal to buy eggs (and sperm???) in Canada, so many are resorting to going overseas to basically buy underprivileged women's uteri to carry babies. And it sucks not only for the ethical reasons, but because for a country that prides itself on freedom, democracy, and liberalism (despite our conservative leader, Stephen Harper), we should be able to get the help we need to reproduce, if we can't do it the old-fashioned way.
Quebec just announced that they would pay for fertility treatments for residents living in the province. All the other provinces and territories are miles behind the times, with this archaic notion that we need to make alternate methods of fertility illegal.
For someone who is not versed in U.S. law, do any U.S. states have the same legal issues? Or can you buy sperm without repercussions and a ten-year stint in jail?
The true north strong and free, my ass...
hm....that's interesting.
ReplyDeleteWe can purchase sperm with no issues - even have it directly shipped to our home rather than dealing with doing doctor assisted IUI's.
However, most of insurance companies DO NOT pay for ANY infertility treatments. There are the lucky few who have insurance that will help, and even fewer who have insurance plans that will cover even IVF.
So now I'm curious, if you don't have a male partner, how do you do fertility treatments?
I'm not sure. I know single women who have gone through fertility treatments here. I honestly don't know enough about the legalities...
ReplyDeleteI know it's easy-peasy when it's you and your husband, but I need to look into things a bit more thoroughly.
And that just sucks about insurance. Here, it totally depends on what kind of job you have and what benefits your employer gives you. Currently, I get nada... but, we'll see...