before leaving for the war in Ukraine, the question of post-mortem procreation arises for couples

In Ukraine, because of the Russian invasion, thousands of young couples find themselves separated at the age when they did not think they should hold a gun, but start a family. More and more soldiers freeze their sperm before going to war, and more and more women whose companions die at the front even decide to have a child anyway: this is post-mortem procreation.

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Irina and Oles are just married. The war has already separated them: Oles was called up in January to fight in the Donbass. The couple dreams of a child, so before going to the front, they made an important decision. “We decided to freeze his sperm, so that I could use it”, explains Irina. The couple called on an assisted reproduction clinic which offers soldiers the possibility of freezing their sperm for free.

An illegal operation?

Soldiers fear they will no longer be able to have children, because 5% of war wounds concern the sexual organs. There are also women who, after the death of their companion at the front, decide to use his sperm to make a child. But post-mortem procreation is not regulated by law. Galina Strenko, head of clinic, admits it: when soldiers’ wives come to be inseminated, it is impossible for the clinic to know whether it is carrying out a legal intervention or not. “I can’t call him before the procedure and say ‘Hello sir, are you alive or dead? Are you okay or disagree?’ If he’s dead, I don’t have the means to know…!

Like so many couples, Irina and Oles did not have the courage to address this terrible question: will Irina have a child alone, if Oles dies? “I would say yes, if you lose the person you love, Irina replies. Maybe people will think that’s stupid or selfish. But the child you will have, you will see in him the continuation of your husband, he will perhaps be the one who will give you a reason to continue living.” For Irina, resisting the Russian invasion also means not giving up on having a baby. “We can’t change the situation, we didn’t choose this war, but we have to deal with it.”

>> We tell you the story of this Russian father separated from his daughter for a drawing against the conflict

The fights are likely to gain in intensity with the spring. Irina prepares not to see her husband again for months. She wants parliament to quickly pass a law allowing her, whatever happens, to one day carry her child.