Switzerland is set to amend its law on medically-assisted reproduction, aiming to legalise egg donations and broaden access to sperm donations.
The move, announced by the Swiss government Thursday, responds to long-standing calls for reform. Currently, egg donations are banned, and sperm donations are only available to married couples.
The Swiss government stated that the revised law is designed to better reflect modern realities and ensure more equitable access. “We decided to completely revise the law on medically assisted reproduction to adapt it to the current context,” a government statement read, adding that the interior ministry would draft a proposal by the end of 2025.
The new regulations would allow egg donations in cases where a woman is infertile, paralleling the legal use of sperm donations in male infertility. “Our priority is the protection of donors and the welfare of the child,” said the government, underlining the risks of seeking egg donation abroad, where protections may be less stringent.
In furtherance to modernise reproductive laws, the proposal also aims to extend both egg and sperm donations to unmarried couples, reflecting changes made after same-sex marriage was legalised in 2022. “The current law is outdated and no longer corresponds to social reality.”
