"If we allow human cloning experiments to go forward, not only will babies die, but we will be empowering another industry to use women as biological slaves," said American Life League president Judie Brown. "Such reproductive abuses always dehumanize women."

The cloning method known as somatic cell nuclear transfer requires numerous eggs, which researchers often purchase from women. Human cloning experiments undertaken by Advance Cell Technology, for example, used 71 eggs from seven women.

Given the fact that women usually ovulate one egg a month, multiple egg harvesting requires an invasive regime of hormone injections. The egg harvesting procedure results in hyper-ovulation of as many as 25 eggs at one time. The long-term effects of hyper-ovulation in women are still unknown.

"We have to ask these cloning companies what kind of liability waivers they make women sign when they sell their eggs," added Mrs. Brown. "Women's rights groups have really missed the boat on this one. Cloning further reduces women to mere objects for exploitation."

Release issued: 12 Mar 02