Islam, Assisted Reproductive Technologies, and the Middle Eastern State

Abstract

Assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization, have made their way to the Middle Eastern nation states. However, in the Sunni-dominant countries, third-party donation of sperm, eggs, embryos, and uteruses (as in surrogacy) is banned, leading some Sunni Muslim couples to travel to Iran and Lebanon, where Shia Muslim clergy have allowed donor technologies.