Alternative models for Fosters to try on if they gestate and give birth to a child from a Remus egg

Briefing to the Board of IVF Inc.

Peter Taylor (pjt)

1. Remuses as egg donors; Fosters as recipients
(Remuses probably see themselves as different from conventional voluntary, anonymous egg and sperm donors. Research needed into situations in which egg and sperm donors were not anonymous and departed from original position of letting go of connection with resulting child)

2. Ellie Foster as gestational surrogate
(Ellie Foster may see herself as different from paid or relative gestational surrogate, especially since she has not had children herself before. Remuses may be see themselves as different as well -- because there is no contract they have less room to insist on conditions for the surrogacy. Research needed on kinds of conditions that contracting parties accept.)

3. Ellie Foster as birthmother for baby that would be adopted by Remuses
all rights as parents go to Remuses; original birth certificate sealed at least until child is 18
3a. Closed adoption -- adopting parents minimize having to deal with difference from conventional parents; birthmother or birthparents left to deal with loss
(If Remuses demand a closed adoption, Fosters may baulk at agreeing to adoption. Research needed on cases of adoption falling through when birthmother feels pushed away.)

3b. Open adoption -- adopting parents acknowledge to the child and to the world the difference from conventional family; ongoing connection with birthmother is voluntary; raises challenges about how to deal with multiple bonds and with changes in feelings and behavior of all parties; plenty of models of people making this work (ref: Arms, S. (1990). Adoption: A Handful of Hope. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts).
(Fosters may not want to take the risk of the connection being severed at a later date. Research needed on cases of adoption "triads" working through difficult patches.)

4. Fosters as surrogate adopting parents
(Transracial adoptions by white parents of black children are quite common, although not as common as international adoptions of childrenof color. Research needed to assess resistance of African-Americans to this practice. )

5. Other...?