“Doubly Mother”: Heterologous Artificial Insemination Between Biological and Social Parenthood: A Single Case Study

Abstract

In heterologous artificial insemination, the donation of gametes (either sperm or eggs) from a third person allows infertile and same-sex couples to become parents. Therefore, the child is genetically related to one parent, while the other parent is referred to as the social mother or father. This current single case study aimed at investigating this double access to parenthood in a lesbian couple who had two children after heterologous artificial insemination. In this couple, both women delivered one of the two children, so that each partner is either biological or social mother. The Clinical Generational Interview was used to assess the quality of family relationships, with a specific focus on three dimensions: the origins of each partner, the constitution of the couple, and the generational passage. Paper and pencil textual analysis was conducted following the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and led to the identification of six dominant themes (and subthemes): (a) relationship with the family of origin; (b) couple relationship; (c) generational passage; (d) heterologous artificial insemination and “double motherhood”; (e) donor/biological father; and (f) children identity and the disclosure of their origin. This study’s findings revealed the importance of using research techniques aimed at in-depth exploration of this phenomenon consistently with the specificities of the new filiation forms. The adoption of a transgenerational perspective allows articulating conception coordinates with the history of the couple and each partner’s origins.

Keywords:

• Generational passage
• genetic parenthood
• heterologous artificial insemination
• social parenthood

NOTES

Notes

1 For an example of the analysis technique applied to clinical material cf. Tamanza, Gozzoli, and Gennari (2016) or Molgora, Fusar Poli, Marzotto, and Tamanza (2017).

2 Italian law does not allow step-child adoption within homosexual couples, except in exceptional cases, that is as a form of special adoption. The fact that the two children have half a common genetic origin facilitates step child adoption.

3 The “traditional family model” we refer to here is determined by the intersection between relationship and generational bond. The parenthood started with heterologous insemination exceeds the boundaries of this

intersection.

4 In this double complementary identifying movement, Beatrice wishes to revamp the model she experienced in her original environment (characterized by unity, warmth, and shared communion), while Marta is looking for what she was lacking, as her family context was marked by detachment, indifference, and coldness.

5 As you may well remember, when they met, Marta was engaged in a heterosexual relationship.

6 The theme of disclosure, too, has been widely analyzed in literature, underlining on the one hand the presence of the will to reveal the nature of conception, on the other the trouble to find the right moment to do it (Jadva, Freeman, Kramer, & Golombok, 2009; Mac Dougall, Becker, Scheib, & Nachtigall, 2007; Tallandini et al., 2016).

7 Clinical practice points out how, in problematic family structures such as step-families, or in situations of chronic conflicts (or parental alienation), this task can be particularly difficult and afoot of serious complexities (Accordini, Browning, Gennari, McCarthy, & Margola, 2017; Gennari & Tamanza, 2017).