Is it permissible to place a woman's egg in another woman's womb?

Question

A question regarding the permissibility of placing a woman's egg in another woman's womb and the implications for the child's parentage. [AR_ID:632]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei and Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may Allah protect them):

There is no objection to this in itself, but one must avoid any prohibited actions such as forbidden gazing and touching.

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To whom does the child belong, the egg donor or the womb donor?

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may Allah protect him):

If a fetus is born in this manner, it is attributed to the owners of the sperm and the egg. However, it is also linked to the owner of the womb, so caution must be exercised in establishing the legal implications of lineage between the child and the owner of the womb.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may Allah protect him):

There is ambiguity regarding whether the child is attributed to the egg donor or the womb donor, so it is advisable to exercise caution concerning the rulings of motherhood and sonship. However, it is likely that a non-marriageable relationship is established between the child and the owner of the womb, even if it is not ruled that the child is attributed to her. Caution must also be taken regarding the non-marriageable relationship between the newborn and the egg donor, such that she must observe hijab from him and he should not marry her daughters, for example.

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Source:

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may Allah protect him): Official website.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may Allah protect him): Fiqh for expatriates: artificial insemination, egg custody, and barriers to conception + Selected issues, contemporary issues, rulings on artificial insemination, issues 67, 68 + Official website.