A child or our child? Ethical dimensions of artificial insemination by donor.

This paper advocates redefining parenting in terms of commitment and nurture rather than biological affinity. Legal precedents involve a geneological bias, but this is unrealistic in the light of the increasing variety of modes of reproduction now open to prospective parents. Commitment and nurture favor social rather than biological affinity as the foundation of family life. Whether we can insist on commitment and nurture as conditions of "parenting" is moot, hinging on whether parenting is viewed as a privilege or a right. However that question is resolved, justice demands that artificial insemination by donor and natural parents be treated alike.