Overview:
This symposium explores the nature of reproductive technologies involving third parties in Asia, focusing on the case of egg donation in Japan. The panel brings together sociologists, medical anthropologists, and scholars in science and technology studies (STS). By discussing the experiences of people who became parents through egg donation and examining the political issues surrounding the practice, we aim to shed light on the social and cultural contexts that shape reproductive technologies. Key themes include family norms, gender, patriarchy, kinship, and prevailing views on the body and science in East Asia.

In Japan, there is no law on third party reproduction and egg donation is neither legal nor illegal, making the lack of official support and services precarious. This paper analyses the changing positioning and impact of egg donation through a follow-up longitudinal qualitative study of one Japanese woman who became a parent through egg donation.
The experience of egg donation, like any other life experience, is likely to change with the passage of time, the child's development, interactions with the child and other stakeholders, and changing times and institutions. Follow-up longitudinal interviews can capture perceptions at different points in time. This paper analyses changes in attitudes towards ‘kinship’ based on a follow-up longitudinal qualitative study (follow-up period of 13 years and still ongoing). It found that immediately after becoming a parent through egg donation, she was aware of the ‘lack’ of blood relation, but that in the course of raising her child, she relativised blood relation and shifted to admiration of being born per se. In conclusion, the follow-up longitudinal interviews revealed that the case study woman experienced a complex array of emotions at the outset of the birth of her child with no genetic link, encompassing secrecy, loneliness, responsibility and pressure, along with joy. However, as she progressed through the process, she reported a shift towards more positive sentiments, including growth, environmental control, power, acceptance and other relationships. This suggests that it is indeed possible for individuals to undergo such a process and emerge with a more positive outlook.

Authors:
Chiaki Shirai, Shizuoka University, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Shirai Chiaki is a family sociologist and professor at the National Shizuoka University in Japan. She is interested in reproduction such as prenatal testing, egg freezing, third party reproduction, abortion and childbirth.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiakishirai/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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