American Expatriate Costa Rica

Legislator would bar in-vitro fertilization to gay couples and single women

Although the chair of the Social Issues Legislative Commission, the representative Karla Prendas (Partido de Liberación Nacional) strongly supports in-vitro fertilization, she would restrict its use for gay couples and single women in a bill to regulate the medical procedure.

Currently in Costa Rica, in-vitro fertilization is regulated by a 2015 presidential decree enacted that went into effect last March. The medical technique was on hold until the Inter-American Human Rights Commission declared it legal. The decree allows couples of legal age and single women to use the technique, but does not state conditions of sexual orientation.

The bill discussed by the Commission would focus only on heterosexual couples that can´t procreate children, Prendas stressed.

The Commission already received the bill for consideration. Prendas said that discussion will be open to people in favor and against the medical procedure. She added that representatives outside the Commission still can participate by stating their proposals on the subject.

Source: Diario Extra.