the problematics of motherhood in twentieth century women's fiction

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4.2.1. Artificial Insemination by Donor (AID) is one of
the commonly used means of artificial reproduction. It
slmply involves the fertilization of an egg by means other
than sexual intercourse. Some feminists favour unregulated
AID because it allows women a measure of control over
reproduction and it threatens male authority. But
unregulated AID also exposes women and the children they
bear to posslble infection from AIDS or venereal disease and
fails to protect inseminated women from unwanted future
intmslons and possible custody disputes wlth their sperm
donors (Donchin 1989.137). Artificial insemination by Conor
has other shortcomings too. This remedy does not meet the
case lf the prospective mother's reproductive equipmerr is
not functlonlng properly or if her general state of health
is so poor as to make childbearing an even more r:sky
b,lsiness than it 1s ordinarily (Nelson 1989.86).
4.2.2. In vltro fertilization (IVF) involves the
fertllization of an egg outside the womb and lts subsecJent
lmplantatlon in a woman's womb. The procedure begins rlth
the removal of one or more eggs from a woman. Often. the
woman's ovaries are induced to 'super ovulate' througr. the
use of drugs The removal is a painful, costly and lergthy
process, usually involving full anaesthesia. The eggs are
then fertilized in a petri dish with the semen. Once the
embryo is found to be nondefective, it is implanted In a