L’extension de l’AMP pour les couples de femmes et les femmes seules : le difficile encadrement législatif du désir d’enfant

The French Parliament currently examines the government's bioethics bill and especially its measure to widen out the availability of Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAR) to all women, including singles or those in a lesbian couple. At a time when this bill is still under discussion, this paper considers the consequences that would result from its adoption, in relation to access to artificial procreation and to legal parenthood. The “desire to become a parent” and the role of volition play a key role in the bill. The bill replaces the sexual alterity of the parental couple by the need for a “parental project”, calling into question the concept that MAR should copy natural procreation. The bill also establishes legal parenthood on the sole volition of the parents. The paper concludes that the importance given to personal willingness calls into question the foundations of legal parenthood.