Ectogenesis, pregnancy and gestational justice

Shulamith Firestone famously claimed that women could not be fully liberated until they were freed from the burdens of gestation and childbirth. Yet many feminists regard the prospect of ectogenesis with scepticism. Some view the specific reproductive functions of women as a source of power; others fear that in the attempt to throw off these specifically female functions, women are selling out in some respects - attempting to remake themselves in the model of men. Others may view ectogenesis as a dangerous tool in the context of societies that already seek to contain and control women's reproductive choices. I acknowledge these concerns, and share some of them myself. Nevertheless, I suggest that ectogenesis can and should be harnessed as a means of freeing women from the burdens of gestation and childbirth, insofar as this does in fact further their interests as human beings. In order to ensure that ectogenesis yields the benefits that Firestone hoped for, I argue that we need a new approach to the understanding of gestation and childbirth: a conception of gestational justice. I will show how, on the basis of this concept, societies can make progress in ensuring that the interests of women are furthered, rather than hindered, by the development of ectogenesis.

Bio: Anna Smajdor is a Professor of Practical Philosophy at the University of Oslo, Norway. Anna's work focusses on ethical questions related to medicine, innovation and the life-sciences. Her PhD thesis was an analysis of the ethical and legal implications of artificial gametes (sperm and eggs manufactured in the laboratory). Anna has published widely on this topic, and on many related issues in reproductive ethics. She also has broader interests in a variety of bioethical topics, including morality and nature, and human relationships with animals and plants.