Th. Pleuris: Framework of medically assisted reproduction centered on women’s rights

“We are creating a framework with a central and dominant focus on women’s rights,” said Health Minister Thanos Pleuris, during the discussion of the bill on Medically Assisted Reproduction. Th. Pleuris informed the national delegation that in the upcoming changes to the EOPYY Health Services Regulation, there will be better conditions, in terms of compensation, “so that more women can exercise this right”. He also said that the government aims to have more public structures for Medically Assisted Reproduction, given that in today’s debate, the opposition parties highlighted that Medically Assisted Reproduction should be covered by the public and effectively support women and couples who they want to have a child.

“This specific bill echoes progressive perceptions,” said Thanos Pleuris, adding that it is perhaps the first bill to be passed, at the initiative of deputies. “I was visited by four ND MPs, without consulting each other. Elena Rapti, Christina Alexopoulou, Olga Kefalogianni and Katerina Monogyiou. They informed me that consent was required for the cryopreservation of the woman’s reproductive material, they informed me that there were separations that consent was not given and then a woman could not have a child with her own egg. I was informed of stories of women who were borderline, to have a child,” said Mr. Pleuris.

The Minister of Health referred to the provisions of the bill that cause reservations and objections from the opposition.

This bill corrects distortions that have existed until now, such as making the cryopreservation of a woman’s reproductive material dependent on her partner’s consent or the use of the woman’s reproductive material after divorce. “For 17 years we had a legislative framework, where the woman, in order to cryopreserve her egg, had to get consent from her husband or her partner. And after they divorced, the woman could not use the egg that had cryopreserved, with another partner, he had to get consent again”, said Thanos Pleuris, noting that this was a sign of the existing framework, “insulting the right of women”. At the same time, he underlined that for a woman’s age of 50-54, there must be a recommendation from the Medically Assisted Reproduction Committee, that the woman can safely conceive.

Regarding “social cryopreservation”, the minister pointed out that until now, a woman cannot do cryopreservation if she does not have a medical problem. “We absolutely respect the woman’s wish, to have the possibility, if she wants to cryopreserve her egg, and to use it, if she wishes and makes the decision,” said the minister and explained that “giving the possibility for the woman to do the cryopreservation and have the choice, is respect for her right, to have the choice”.

In relation to the increase in the age limit of the woman for Medically Assisted Reproduction, the Minister of Health stated that it is a prediction of a “progressive society”, and an exercise of the sovereign right of the woman to reproduce. “So, because nature allows a man, at 70 and 80, to be a father, there are no social consequences? Will there be social consequences to a child that a woman decides to have at 53 and 54? “, said the Minister of Health and added that “the argument that says that a mother cannot be 60 years old and have a small child, is an argument that protects the patriarchal form of the family”.

Referring to surrogate mothers, Mr. Pleuris pointed out that the 2005 law provides that there should be no financial benefit but a compensation regime. “We are not changing the framework. But we are putting in place a safety net, the Commission for Assisted Reproduction, so that there is no lawless environment. As we do not know how, by what process and with what relationships a surrogate mother has been found, there will be a process that will be regulated from the Authority”, said Mr. Pleuris.

Source: RES-MPE