>> Same-sex couple get surrogate blessing
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C’est la seconde fois que les deux hommes obtiennent la permission d’une maternité de substitution, le couple étant déjà parent d’une petite fille. Une décision rare en Afrique du Sud.
« Comme nous sommes un couple homosexuel, avoir recours à une mère porteuse est notre unique chance d’avoir un enfant qui est biologiquement lié à l’un de nous deux », a déclaré l’un des deux membres du couple, après le rendu de la décision. Les deux hommes, qui ont « toujours désiré avoir des enfants », veulent agrandir leur famille et offrir un petit frère ou une petite soeur à leur fille en bas âge.
Âgés de 59 ans et 48 ans, ils résident ensemble à Johannesburg et occupent tous les deux des postes de cadres dans de grandes sociétés. Pour leur premier enfant, ils avaient précédemment fait appel à une mère porteuse. Cette fois-ci, la future maman biologique est déjà choisie. Mère de famille, elle a déclaré adoré être enceinte et s’est dit « enchantée de rendre service à des couples infertiles ». Cette dernière ne faisant pas partie d’une agence, aucun paiement ne sera effectué.
La substitution de parentalité autorisée par la loi
En Afrique du Sud, un accord de maternité de substitution entre les différents candidats doit être autorisé par un tribunal avant de devenir légal. En rendant un avis favorable, la Haute cour de Pretoria a donc autorisé le couple à entreprendre toutes les démarches à partir d’aujourd’hui pour avoir son deuxième enfant. Des embryons congelés au préalable les attendent dans un centre de fertilité.
La maternité de substitution est entrée en vigueur en 2010 et s’adresse à celui/celle qui « est incapable de tomber enceinte, de porter une grossesse à son terme ou d’avoir son propre enfant ».
Par Thandiwe Cattier
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>> A Johannesburg same-sex couple has for the second time received the green light from the court to use a surrogate mother to bear them a child.
The couple, who in terms of an order issued by Judge Ronel Tolmay, of the high court in Pretoria, may not be identified in any manner other than as “E” and “S”, already have a toddler daughter. She was born from another surrogate mother after the court confirmed that surrogate motherhood agreement.
They now want a sibling for their young daughter and a woman who already has four children of her own, volunteered to carry the baby on their behalf. The woman said she loved to be pregnant and she couldn’t wait to bear a child for the couple.
They already have frozen embryos waiting at a fertility centre and the men stated in court papers that as soon as they received the nod from the court, they would go ahead to have it implanted.
The embryos are the result of an artificial fertilisation process using an anonymous egg donor and the gametes of both men. The embryos have been frozen separately so that they can be identified to which of the two men they belong.
According to the agreement reached with the woman due to carry the baby, at least two attempts of embryo transfer into her uterus will be made, using the DNA make-up of each of the couple.
The woman’s husband also confirmed that he was happy with the arrangement.
“E” said they always wanted children. “As we are a same-sex gay couple, surrogacy is the only possible means available to us to have a child, who is biologically related to at least one of us. Our condition is permanent and irreversible and we are unable to give birth to a child.”
He said they approached a surrogacy agency to see whether they could be introduced to potential surrogates to assist them. They were given the name of a woman, but she said she was already acting as a surrogate for another couple.
She introduced them to her friend, who said she was willing to assist them. The couple stated that no payments were made in return, as this was illegal.
“She simply enjoys being pregnant (her last child is 18 months old) and she feels very empathetic towards infertile couples.”
“E” said this was their second surrogacy as they dearly wanted a sibling for their daughter to complete their family. According to him, both of them are in a comfortable financial position and more than adequately equipped to provide for another child. Both will take four months’ leave after the birth and later employ a nanny to take care of the baby. It was agreed that they would pay the expenses relating to the pregnancy and birth, but the biological mum will receive no other financial gain.
