The embryo battle between Modern Family‘s Sofia Vergara and her ex-fiancé Nick Loeb is getting even uglier.
The 44-year-old actress has projected herself as the victim in the ordeal, but it seems that both parties are guilty of making the fight even more grisly.
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In 2013, Vergara and Loeb decided they wanted to have a baby with the help of in-vitro fertilization and surrogate mothers. At the time, the couple signed a form agreeing that neither party would use the fertilized eggs without the consent of the other. Loeb now wants the contract voided, according to New York Post.
The couple’s first two attempts to create children failed. Loeb proceeded to give Vergara an ultimatum in an op-ed published in the New York Times last year saying that she either agree to use the two remaining female embryos or he would walk.
He later decided to walk in May of 2014.
The situation got sticky when Loeb tried to sue Vergara to prevent her from destroying the fertilizing eggs. The legal dispute then erupted regarding the custody of the genetic material.
Colombian-born Sofia Vergara is trying to make Loeb look like he never truly wanted to be a father. In order to do so, a California judge actually ruled in favor of her request to force Loeb to identify the two women who had abortions that he impregnated nearly 20 years ago.
“I would rather go to jail than reveal the names,” Loeb said to Page Six‘s Emily Smith this week. “I believe we have to protect a woman’s right to privacy.”
Loeb attempted to appeal the judge’s decision, but an appellate court shut down his request.
The woman will be forced to give depositions on the case, which is obviously disturbing because they will be drawn into drama that doesn’t concern them and likely humiliate them in the process.
“Since these embryos were made in a petri dish instead of the traditional way, the male participant has more of an ability to control their destiny,” the president and founder of Northeast Assisted Fertility Group, Sanford Benardo said. “This is uncharted territory, legally. Scientific advancement has outpaced any kind of legal protection related to embryos.”
Here’s the breakdown of why this situation is so messed up…
Vergara will be forced to be a mother if Loeb is allowed to implant the embryos in a surrogate, which does not seem fair to her. However, in an effort to keep the embryos “frozen indefinitely” like she wants, Vergara will have to drag two other woman into the fray by forcing them to go on record about their previous abortions.
Vergara is now married to her actor beau Joe Manganiello.
What are your thoughts on this embryo battle between Sofia Vergara and her ex-fiancé Nick Loeb?
[H/T New York Post]