Week 1 - D - Ethics of Assisted Reproduction Flashcards
For reproduction in a couple that is infertile, there have been many advances in technologies, developments and drugs
Is sex selection allowed in the UK?
And when are they allowed?
Sex selection of the embryo is currently not allowed in the UK
Sex selection is only allowed if there are serious medical conditions linked to gender of the embryo
Does the baby have any legal rights when inside the womb of the mother?
The baby has no legal rights when inside the womb of the mother and only has legal rights after birth
What is the definition of infertility?
Failure to achieve clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of unprotected intercourse in a parter
Assisted reproduction is not for everyone
What are some of the arguments against assisted reproduction?
It is not natural
It is playing god
It is harming women and families
How many couples have infertility problems and what percentage of these couple require assisted conception?
1in7 couples have infertility problems and 50% of these couples require assisted conception
How many courses of treatment are allowed for couples who suffer from infertility is a scotland?
Maximum of three course of treatment allowed in scotland
There are different requirements for a fair NHS funded treatmnet for infertility?
What age and BMI does the women have to be?
What are the infertility requirments?
What about drinking, smoking and illegl substances?
Infertility due to an appropriate cause - all ages
Female partner must be below the age of 42 and a BMI of 18.5-30
Both partners must be non-smoking and abstain from illegal substances
Both parteners must also stop drinking prior to and during treatment
There are many parties involved in the management of infertility treatments
All these parties may have different values, beliefs, experiences, expectations and perceptions of risks and benefits
If you freeze your embryos instead of your eggs, what problem can arise between couples?
WHy arent eggs just frozen instead?
If you freeze your embryos and the relationship splits up and the man declines the use of his sperm, this means the frozen is unable to be used
If you freeze the eggs this means that even if the couple splits up, you are still able to use your own eggs
What is the UK’s independent regulator overseeing the use of gametes and embryos in fertility treatment and research?
This is the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
When does the human fertilisation and embryology authority allow for sex selection of the embryo?
When does HFEA allow for creating an embryo with 2 genetic mothers?
HFEA allows for sex selection of the embryo for when medical conditions are linked to specific sexes
HFEA allows for creating an embryo with 2 genetic mothers if one of the mothers has serious mitochondrial disease
What does the human fertilisation and embryology authority do again?
They are the UK’s independent regulator that oversees the use of gametes and embryos in fertility treatment and research
Sperm donors in the UK are no longer anonymous, at what age are the children made from the sperm entitled to knowing who the donor was?
At the age of 18, the children can find out who their genetic father was
What does in vitro mean?
In vitro studies are when microorganisms, or cells are studies outside of their normal biological context ie inside a lab
Studies of human development in vitro are permitted for how long?
Studies of the human embryo is permitted up until 14 days of embryo development
What are the stages of embryo development?
What stage occurs on day 15 of development hence no more research into embryo development in vitro allowed?
- Gametogenesis
- Fertilisation
- Cleavage (forms blastocyst)
- Gastrulation
- Organogenesis
Gastrulation occurs on day 15 of developement and this is when the development of the germ layers of the embro begins
