Pro-life groups staunchly opposed to amendments to existing IVF laws will meet with President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca on Sunday morning to highlight their “grave concerns” about the legal changes on the cards.

Representatives from the Gift of Life Foundation, Life Network Movement and the Unborn Child Movement will sit down with the President at San Anton Palace at 11.30am to explain their position.

MPs are expected to vote on the Embryo Protection Act amendments this coming week, effectively introducing embryo freezing into local IVF procedures.

Although the government has modified its original plans following criticism and a large-scale public protest, it has refused proposals brought forward by lobby groups and the Nationalist Party opposition. 

PN proposals ignored

The PN has said the IVF Bill amendments do not guarantee the protection of human life.

Following 10 hours of discussion of proposals by the Opposition and civil society, the government increased the maximum number of embryos that can be frozen, instead of limiting risks, the party said following the conclusion of a debate by the House Committee for the consideration of Bills.

During the debate, the PN MPs called for the safeguarding of the children that are yet to be born as a result of the IVF process, especially in light of the UN’s Convention on Children’s Rights, of which Malta is a signatory.

Once again, the PN was the voice of the most vulnerable – the unborn, the party said.

Not in the interest of embryos who are not being given the opportunity to be born

Reacting to the committee’s conclusions, the Life Network Foundation, meanwhile, said that the discussions and meetings held between Health Minister Chris Fearne and concerned organisations had been ignored.

This was not a consultation exercise as suggested by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, chair Miriam Sciberras said.

In April, the divisive IVF Bill prompted Ms Coleiro Preca to express concern over the “hostility” stemming from the debate. She had appealed for a “calm and longer period of reflection” and offered to mediate.

On Friday, Dr Sciberras said the Life Network Foundation was disappointed with the amendments that ignored the rights of children conceived through IVF.

“The freezing of embryos is going to be introduced by choice, and not in exceptional cases. This is not in the interest of embryos, that are not being given the opportunity to be born, but whose life is instead being put in peril,” she said. 

The foundation noted, among others, that the fertilisation of a maximum of five eggs, three of which will end up frozen, was much worse than the initial proposal of three embryos in the first cycle.

It added that an embryo could spend up to 20 years frozen until the woman turned 48 and the authorities could put the embryo up for adoption.

“The concept that single parents intentionally create children to be brought up without a mother or a father is not in the children’s interest.

Being orphans from the day of birth, because either of their parents is already dead, is definitely not social justice,” Dr Sciberras noted.