ethics and reproduction

Question 1

main ethical problems in repro

Answer 1

terminations of pregnancy 
contraception 
prenatal testing and genetic testing 
rights of women versus rights of their foetus 
assisted reproduction

Question 2

arguments against assisted reproduction

Answer 2

harmful to women and families 
not natural 
intuitively wrong 
playing god 
many artificially created embryos are destroyed

Question 3

what is the HFEA

Answer 3

human fertilisation and embryology authority

Question 4

what does the HFEA do

Answer 4

licences fertility clinics and centres carrying out IVF, other assisted conception procedures and human embryo research

Question 5

specific examples from the HFEA code of practice

Answer 5

preimplantation tissue typing is availavle for treatment of an existing child who is affected by a serious or life-threatening condition
sex selection is permitted for medical conditions in which a serious medical condition is linked to a gender
creating embryo with 2 genetic mothers to treat serious mitochondrial disease

Question 6

situations when it is reasonable to refuse treatment

Answer 6

issue with welfare of child (eg drug addiction, history of domestic abuse, homeless)
reduced success rate (eg older female age)
increased risk of harm (eg obesity and smoking)
when it is not legal (eg not allowed sex selection unless for severe medical condition)