"Costa Rica has become the first country in the world to reject in-vitro fertilization!" declared Fat her Matthew Habiger, President of Human Life International, the world's largest pro-life, pro-faith, pro-family apostolate. "This is a stunning pro-life legal precedent!"

On Thursday, October 11, Feast of the Maternity of Mary, the Constitutional Court of Costa Rica declared that the in-vitro fertilization reproductive technology is unconstitutional because children conceived in this manner are at risk. The panel of judges recognized that human life begins at conception, and from that moment, these human beings are ‘persons' under the law and thus entitled to legal protection. The court explained that the sanctity of life is a paramount human right that belongs to all persons from the moment of their conception. It was also asserted that no reproductive technologies are to be used which would place conceived human beings at risk of losing their lives. The court stated: ‘The principle of the sanctity of human life…embodies a right that belongs to everyone without exception…any exception or limitation destroys the very essence of that right…".

In 1994, a law had been passed in Costa Rica allowing for in vitro fertilization. In 1995, the Catholic Conference of Bishops of Costa Rica had filed a legal claim against the law asserting that is was unconstitutional. As a result of this legal decision, the laws in Costa Rica that allowed for abortion and the death penalty have been struck down.

The Association for the Defense of Life ("Asociación Defensa de la Vida/ADEVI"), HLI's affiliate in Costa Rica, was a strong part of these efforts. Dr. Martha Garza, a medical technician from the U.S., who practiced in vitro fertilization but later abandoned it and joined the pro-life movement, testified in court against this reproductive technology. Dr. Garza came to Costa Rica at the request of ADEVI and Vida Humana Internacional, HLI's Hispanic Division.

"This pro-life victory in Costa Rica is sure to have repercussions in the international medical community. It is my hope and prayer that medical professionals throughout the world will acknowledge what they see happen in their laboratories: that this reproductive technology causes the death of many, many conceived children, and so it is never justifiable", concluded Father Habiger. -30-

Founded in 1981, Human Life International (http://www.hli.org, 1-800-549-LIFE) is the world's largest pro-life, pro-faith, pro-family educational apostolate, with chapters in the United States and a network of international branches and affiliates around the world.

HLI Costa Rica – Asociación Defensa de la Vida (ADEVI), Post Office Box 238-2020, Zapote, COSTA RICA; telephone: (506) 286-1929; fax: (506) 226-8969; email: adevicr@sol.racsa.co.cr