Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Previous | Next

Page 172
________________ not only avoids killing of sperms but also becomes a means of contraception. Similar to rhythm method, contraception as such can be said to be generally acceptable to Jainas not only because of violence towards sperm, but Jainas believe that more the number of children more the attachment and aversions resulting in influx of karmas and related consequences. Therefore population control is indirectly prescribed specially in the interest of domestic felicity and welfare of society, along with minimizing bondage of additional karma with the soul (samvara). 4.2 Ethics of Womb and Embryo Methods of artificial procreation • In-vitro fertilization • Surrogate motherhood 4.2.1 In vitro fertilization: When a female is given hormone treatment to stimulate ovarian follicles and eggs are produced, these eggs are surgically removed. Sperms are then added to the eggs and fertilization occurs in the laboratory. Fertilized egg is then implanted in the uterus to grow till delivery of the baby. Sperm for this process of fertilization is usually obtained from sperm bank; sometimes husband's sperms are also used. A recent story of a sperm donor in US was shocking were this medical student's sperms were picked by at least 20 women and had 20 successful pregnancies, these 20 children found out about this, through internet and had a union. They felt a different type of relationship though they never met the sperm donor. Question is as to which family do they belong? Jain literature while talking of celibacy refutes unnatural sex and polygamy and hence does not support this form of fertilization. 4.2.2 Surrogate Motherhood The female egg is fertilized in the laboratory using donor sperm or the egg and sperm are taken from couples implanted in the uterus of some other female who is willing to have the child for someone else grow in her womb and deliver the child to give the child away to the donor couple at a price. There is one good side of this process that someone who really wants a child and cannot have of their own, can have with their own egg or sperm. There are STUDY NOTES version 5.0 Page 159 of 273

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292