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posted by LaminatorX on Wednesday July 15 2015, @09:25PM   Printer-friendly
from the irreconcilable-differences dept.

A court battle between a divorced couple over the future of their frozen embryos began Monday with an attorney for the former husband accusing the woman of using the dispute to get money.

Dr. Mimi Lee, 46, a pianist and part-time anesthesiologist, married Stephen Findley, a wealthy executive, five years ago. Shortly before the wedding, Lee learned she had breast cancer.

Unsure whether the disease would make it impossible for her to have children, the couple went to a fertility center, where Lee's eggs and Findley's sperm created five embryos, now frozen.

Findley filed for divorce two years ago and wants the embryos destroyed. Lee, now infertile, wants to implant the embryos into a surrogate and have a baby. Without the embryos, she will never have a child who shares her genes.

If the embryos are implanted and carry to term, the ex-husband becomes a father without consent. If the embryos are destroyed, the ex-wife is denied the deep need to procreate. The embryos themselves have issues either way. Modern biomedical ethics are complex.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @05:05AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @05:05AM (#209819)

    It's not as if it's impossible for her to have children, especially now with as much scientific knowledge as we have. In fact, some studies suggest that older parents make better parents because they have more experience. Furthermore, even if it isn't, there is a high probability that the government will harass him over child support. Does that sound fair to you?

    She can always adopt, but that's unthinkable, isn't it? The fact that she agreed to this settles the deal to me. Why the hell should she be able to get out of it now?

  • (Score: 2) by iamjacksusername on Thursday July 16 2015, @03:26PM

    by iamjacksusername (1479) on Thursday July 16 2015, @03:26PM (#209977)

    I mentioned adoption to a friend who was having trouble conceiving with his wife... you'd think I was talking about murdering his yet to be made babies from the reaction I got. The urge to reproduce biological offspring is irrational.