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Sealing And Surrogacy


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Situation:

1. An LDS and sealed in the temple couple are fertile, but the wife, for health reasons, is unable to carry the child.

2. Using In Vitro, the sperm of the husband fertilizes an extracted egg from the wife - and grows in a nonmember surrogate's uterus.

3. The non-member gives birth to the child.

Question:

As a matter of procedure, does the child need to be sealed to the parents, or is the child considered "Born In The Covenant"?

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Situation:

1. An LDS and sealed in the temple couple are fertile, but the wife, for health reasons, is unable to carry the child.

2. Using In Vitro, the sperm of the husband fertilizes an extracted egg from the wife - and grows in a nonmember surrogate's uterus.

3. The non-member gives birth to the child.

Question:

As a matter of procedure, does the child need to be sealed to the parents, or is the child considered "Born In The Covenant"?

I can't answer your question, but I believe that the Church strongly counsels against surrogacy. If that's carried to the extreme, I'd say that the child would have to be sealed independently of the parents' sealing. It might even be the case that they would have to adopt him first.

I am not an expert on this.

Lehi

Edited by LeSellers
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I believe the sealing would be there for the child since it is the mother's egg and the father's sperm and just a different carrier. I definitely know that an 'adoption' would not be needed for the sealing to take place independently if for some reason the Church said a sealing was still required. However other paper work might be required (like a statement from the surrogate mother.

I understand why the Church does not like surrogacy as it causes extra legal complications. However I do believe it has a definite place in this world and can understand why it is done sometimes.

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t I believe that the Church strongly counsels against surrogacy. If that's carried to the extreme, I'd say that the child would have to be sealed independently of the parents' sealing. It might even be the case that they would have to adopt him first.

CHI 2:
21.4.16

Surrogate Motherhood

The Church strongly discourages surrogate motherhood.

In a surrogacy birth, who is the mother listed on the birth certificate? I would assume that has some effect on how the Church decides to handle the situation....which may be on a case by case basis.

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I understand why the Church does not like surrogacy as it causes extra legal complications.

There is also a moral issue in my opinion if the surrogate mother chooses to so this for the income and not out of love and desire to help someone in desperate need.
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Fascinating topic! I can't reference this but I remember a thread where someone quoted recent church policy that discouraged egg donation by a sealed woman because the resulting child would be naturally sealed to the woman and her husband. In light of that, it seems logical that the surrogate child would naturally be sealed to the natural parents so no need for an additional sealing.

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Question:

As a matter of procedure, does the child need to be sealed to the parents, or is the child considered "Born In The Covenant"?

Assuming the egg donor is sealed to a husband, children gestated by a surrogate mother (regardless of whether she is sealed to a husband or not) are sealed to the egg donor and the husband to whom she is sealed, regardless of who donated the sperm.

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What an amazing world we live in that we have these questions to ask. I can't imagine what kinds of questions people will be asking 50 years from now.

Although I did see at least one case documented where Brigham Young had a woman with an infertile husband temporarily married to another man (who already had polygamous wives) so she could have children, and then she remained with her original husband and they raised the kids.

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Although I did see at least one case documented where Brigham Young had a woman with an infertile husband temporarily married to another man (who already had polygamous wives) so she could have children, and then she remained with her original husband and they raised the kids.

That's a rough row to hoe. I can't imagine my wife coming to me to tell me 'I'm going to get a quick marriage to some other dude so I can get knocked up and then we'll raise the child together? Cool?'

I wasn't built for those times.

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Here's the whole story (scroll down to "More Family")

A beautiful sentiment:

IN GRATITUDE for FREDERICK WALTER COX

On 9 January 1858, some five years after the Richardson family arrived in Manti, Frederick Walter Cox & Mary Ann Richardson were united in a civil marriage. They had two sons, Charles Edmund & Sullivan Calvin. After the birth of the second son, Mary Ann was divorced from Cox & remarried Edmund Richardson. The boys went by the name of Richardson. Shortly after this divorce, Brother Cox spent 27 months on a mission to England. (From the director of personal records in Salt Lake City, we find that other marriages similar to this were performed by Brigham Young.)

The following tribute is written by the Richardson family:

Dear Grandfather Cox & Your Wonderful Wives: Since mere words cannot express our gratitude to you, may we humbly dedicate our lives to living it through the Gospel. Like you, may we become "Father of Fathers" & "King of Kings", all dedicated to extend the work of our God." From Descendants of Charles Edmund & Sullivan Calvin.

The following is a tribute to Edmund & Mary Ann Darrow Richardson:

Thanks, Grandpa & Grandma Richardson for the gift of life & the Gospel for which you sacrificed so much., May the glorious example you gave of the steps in repentance flower in our own lives & fruit into a strong testimony of the Gospel, above the roots you planted, that we all might have ETERNAL LIFE.

Signed:

Your Posterity.

From here they went on into eternal progression, for,

THE FAMILY IS FOREVER

Written by Hortense Richardson (Grand daughter-in-law)

The family is forever,

Not for a few short years,

The basis of eternity

Was founded on its tiers.

One generation aids the next,

And they in turn prepare

The background of a chain of love

Unbroken over there.

This Richardson history closes with these words:

TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER:

"God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform."

We go onto our knees in humble gratitude to Thee, our Heavenly Father, for life & the gift of His son Jesus Christ as the Savior of the World; and for the restored Gospel, which made our being possible.

IN GRATITUDE THE COX, RICHARDSON FAMILY

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It might even be the case that they would have to adopt him first.

I am not an expert on this.

Lehi

In a surrogacy birth, who is the mother listed on the birth certificate? I would assume that has some effect on how the Church decides to handle the situation....which may be on a case by case basis.

At least in the U.S., I understand the surrogate is listed on the Birth Certificate, and that for legal paperwork purposes, the transfer of custody back to the genetic parents is considered an adoption.

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There is also a moral issue in my opinion if the surrogate mother chooses to so this for the income and not out of love and desire to help someone in desperate need.

I think this moral issue arises in any business or employment arrangements, don't you?

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There is also a moral issue in my opinion if the surrogate mother chooses to so this for the income and not out of love and desire to help someone in desperate need.

Ah..I had not thought of that. I have thought of being a surrogate, but not for money.

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Although I did see at least one case documented where Brigham Young had a woman with an infertile husband temporarily married to another man (who already had polygamous wives) so she could have children, and then she remained with her original husband and they raised the kids.

How very modern of him! Practical people do come up with practical solutions... This thread reminds me though that this issue is not really a modern one. Sarai used her slave in order to have a child (which she later sent away after her own child was born.) Rachel and Leah used their handmaids as surrogates as well. People generally do whatever their own society deems appropriate to have children when nature won't allow it.

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I think this moral issue arises in any business or employment arrangements, don't you?

Perhaps, but I think there is a significant difference in, for example, using your car (taxi) to convey people from place to place for money and using the sacred gift of procreation to 'convey' a baby for a paycheck.
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So, for those interested, here's the expanded Book 1 notes on the subject:

3.6.2 Children Conceived by Artificial Insemination or In Vitro Fertilization

Children conceived by artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization are born in the covenant if their parents are already sealed. If the children are born before their parents are sealed, they may be sealed to their parents after their parents are sealed to each other.

If a child was born to a surrogate mother, the stake president refers the matter to the Office of the First Presidency.

17.3.16 Surrogate Motherhood

The Church strongly discourages surrogate motherhood. If parents want a child who was born to a surrogate mother to be sealed to them, the stake president refers the matter to the Office of the First Presidency.

---

I wonder if this was the result of sealed families being a surrogate for other sealed families, and then having knock-down-drag-out fights disputing a claim that the child was sealed to the surrogate/birther...

Edited by nackhadlow
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3.6.2 Children Conceived by Artificial Insemination or In Vitro Fertilization

Children conceived by artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization are born in the covenant if their parents are already sealed. If the children are born before their parents are sealed, they may be sealed to their parents after their parents are sealed to each other.

If a child was born to a surrogate mother, the stake president refers the matter to the Office of the First Presidency.

17.3.16 Surrogate Motherhood

The Church strongly discourages surrogate motherhood. If parents want a child who was born to a surrogate mother to be sealed to them, the stake president refers the matter to the Office of the First Presidency.

I had no idea that Church had a position on surrogacy. Interesting.

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I think this moral issue arises in any business or employment arrangements, don't you?

No. Most business arrangements are not entered in to altruistically. Being a surrogate is in a category of its own. However, people who are desperate enough for a child of their own to hire a surrogate probably don't really care as much about the surrogate's motive as they do the outcome of the arrangement. (IMO)

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Perhaps, but I think there is a significant difference in, for example, using your car (taxi) to convey people from place to place for money and using the sacred gift of procreation to 'convey' a baby for a paycheck.

Quite clearly surrogates are not procreating, any more than foster parents are procreating when they accept kids for money.

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No. Most business arrangements are not entered in to altruistically.

That is quite correct, and is my point.

Being a surrogate is in a category of its own.

How so?

However, people who are desperate enough for a child of their own to hire a surrogate probably don't really care as much about the surrogate's motive as they do the outcome of the arrangement. (IMO)

And why should they, any more than my employer should care about mine versus the outcome of the arrangement?

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I wonder if this was the result of sealed families being a surrogate for other sealed families, and then having knock-down-drag-out fights disputing a claim that the child was sealed to the surrogate/birther...

I have a theory that most of the Church Handbook of Instructions is the result of people (us) not being able to govern ourselves properly. :ph34r:

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