Archbishop Charles Scicluna issued a brief reaction on twitter this evening after the Labour Party Women’s Section called on the government to explore the possibility of allowing surrogacy, with a limitation on commercial surrogacy.
The suggestion was among a list of proposed amendments to IVF legislation, which the government is reviewing.
"We respect a woman's womb as quasi sacred. Let us not turn it into another commodity whether for free or for money," Mgr Scicluna said in his tweet.
Surrogate motherhood is illegal in Malta (for both gay and heterosexual couples).
In April last year, Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli said Malta will not be removing its ban on surrogacy but would be obliged to comply with a European Court of Human Rights decision should this be contested in the court.
Asked whether the government was considering amending the law to allow surrogacy so that gay couples may have biological (as opposed to adopted) children, Dr Dalli said the government had no intention of doing so.
In their proposals, the Labour Women (Nisa Laburisti) proposed, among other things, that there should be no legal restrictions on age (for IVF treatment).
“The NHS may bring in age restrictions as it deems fit for the services offered by the state, but that does not require a legal barrier,” the section said.
It called for the availability of frozen embryos (including the opportunity to transfer frozen embryos from previous cycles without the need for the woman to go through a treatment cycle again).
Ova and sperm donation should be available for all, but no one should be obliged to donate (neither ova, nor sperm, nor embryos), the section said.
“Since as a country we are insular, consideration should be given to the possibility of exchange of ova and sperm donation with foreign banks if necessary,” it said.
“Ova and sperm donors are to be anonymous,” it added. “ However in the case of a known donor, the law should then regulate how the donor is included in parenting or otherwise.”
Following cycles, if embryos are not viable, the persons involved (couples, single) are to decide on their future.