Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Bioethical Issues Concerning Fertility Drugs

Satisfactory Essays
512 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Bioethical Issues Concerning Fertility Drugs
I have close friends who are a part of the 2.1 million infertile couples in the United States (Fertility 1995). When they started the long and very expensive road of "ART" (Assisted Reproductive Technology), I gave little to no thought about the bioethical issues concerning it. I like most, I was hopeful soon they would have a little one to call there own. They were unsuccessful and have adopted two lovely girls, but looking back what if the would have got pregnant early on what would have happened to the eggs that they had in storage? Or what if they had multiple successfully fertilized eggs in the womb? With the use of fertility drugs the rate of multiples births are on the rise. The number of multiple births in the United States increased 19% from 1980 to 1994, during this time fertility drugs became a common choice for infertile couples (Mader, 2004). On the surface, there seems to be no problem with parents having triplets, quadruples or more, but we all know that with the increase of even one child in the womb, the risk for complications increase. Most multi-birth children suffer from low birth weight, premature delivery, and development disorders. Some are looking to lower the risk of multiple births, but is this an ethical practice? If we look to the bible for guidance, it is not, even if the child or children have a disability. The handicapped child is still human, still made in the image of God. It is a mystery of providence that God sovereignty makes some of us particularly disabled. Nevertheless, we should bear in mind John 9:1-3. Second, all such disabilities will disappear in that Great Day (Isaiah 35:5-6). Now knowing some of the word, the process used by some to lower the number of multiple births is by puncturing the unborn's heart, in the utero, this is abortion. What to do about multiple births is not the only ethical question with ART. But if couples are blessed and are given a child from the process of In Vitro Fertilization, what is to happen to the unused eggs?
The bioethical issues here are several. For instance, there are the unknown thousands of frozen human embryos who are now orphaned because the labels have dropped off their storage vessels, the IVF clinics have lost contact with their parents, and the five-year storage period means that they are destined to be destroyed. Also, there is the bizarre reality that grandmothers can now give birth to their grandchildren. In addition, when you realize that a baby can now have five parents - three (commissioning, genetic and biological) mothers and two (commissioning and genetic) fathers, you realize that IVF can lead us in to some moral dilemmas.
Morally, ethically, legally, this topic needs to be researched thoroughly. If the genetic parent decides that they want the child that was conceived from her egg or his sperm, who would win the court battle and what affect would it have on the innocent child.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    However it is arguable that these spare embryos would have gone to waste (or potential lives ended) if they had not been donated for medical research any way. As it can be seen for the greater good, instead of going to waste these embryos will play some part in assisting the advancement of medical uses of stem cells. Couples who use fertility treatment in order to rule out embryos with a genetic disorder can have their healthy embryos implanted whilst instead of the remaining being disregarded can be used for more disease specific research and can be more effective than the results from animal…

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A new ethical discussion is emerging in the oncology world due to overwhelming advances in fertility preservation in all age groups. The journal article “The Ethics of Fertility Preservation for Paediatric Cancer Patients: From Offer to Rebuttable Presumption” addresses the pressing need to discuss the ethics of failing to preserve fertility as this current practice may no longer be considered ethically appropriate for populations for whom established techniques are available. The current standard practice involves merely offering the option of fertility preservation procedures to children and young adults with cancer. Previous ethical discussions of fertility preservation have focused on the question of whether it is appropriate to perform fertility preservation procedures for a particular patient. The question at the heart of this article suggests the new discussion needs to address the question, “is failing to proceed with fertility preservation ethically justifiable?’” (McDougall 2015). The article gives some…

    • 982 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Advancements in modern technologies in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) have opened up the world to a vast array of possibilities. Scientists have developed the ability to retrieve and preserve individual gametes and embryos by way of cryopreservation, a technique that involves preserving biological materials at very low temperatures outside the body for years. . This field of in vitro fertilization (IVF), worth $2 billion annually in the United States, has forced us to think about human tissue in ways never before thought possible. These advancements have meant that it is now possible for children to be conceived after the death of one of their genetic parents. The first reported case of posthumous sperm retrieval (PSR) was in 1980 and between then and 1995 there were 82 requests for PSR in the US alone. While PSR has enabled males (predominately), previously deemed sterile once again fertile, it has posed a number of issues that have been described as the “most challenging, difficult and sensitive that are likely to be encountered in the field of medicine”. Jocelyn Edwards; Re the estate of the late Mark Edwards represented the first time in NSW that a woman was allowed to harvest the sperm of her deceased partner. However, it highlighted a number of issues concerning the control of processes involving gametes, the right to use and control them and whether gametes can actually be considered as property, as well as the obvious moral and ethical issues with completing such a radical procedure. Furthermore, there are those that concern the rights of the child, as well as the danger of commercialisation. This essay will explore each of the policy issues raised in Re Edwards and the concerns for the broader community spectrum as a whole.…

    • 2744 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    fertility drugs as the moral equivalent of abortion, and, if they have, why they haven’t come out against them, too. The use of these drugs frequently results in multiple births, which leads to the death of one of the infants, often after an agonizing struggle for survival. According to the rules of the pro-lifers, isn’t this murder?” — North-State Record…

    • 882 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Some examples of actual and alleged unethical conduct in practicing assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have given rise public debate about these rapidly progressing technologies. In certain instances it was believed that eggs stored for posterity by patients were used to impregnate others without any explanation, permission, or the informed consent of the parties. Although this was not the first time revelation of potential deception has ever come to light in the field of ART. There have been other cases where a doctor who operated a private clinic used his own sperm for artificial insemination without the patients consent. (Riddick, 2006) The following discusses assisted reproduction, surrogate parenting, what are the implications on the definition of parenting, is surrogate parenting good or bad, as well as if surrogate parenting a way to exploit the poor.…

    • 1281 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Most people would go the religious way and say that if you can’t have children, then you shouldn’t because God has a different path for you. They could even argue about the cost of IVF. In the time and money you put into the treatment you could’ve gone and adopted a child. IVF is incredibly expense and to pay for it isn’t possible for most Americans. Some insurance companies won’t cover the procedure because of the amount of loopholes in laws that let them off and hurt the public. Many parents that go through this with their children could end up with birth defects. Many scientific studies show that there are more birth defects in children who are born from IVF than normal babies. The birth defects range anywhere from cardiac defects, to cleft lip, to gastrointestinal defects, to cancer of the eye. Even though IVF can help people have children there are many risks. The mother could have the baby prematurely or a low birth weight. The mother could also end up with ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome. This is when the ovaries become swollen and painful; it could lead to rapid weight gain and shortness of breath. It could also lead to a miscarriage, many birth defects, ovarian cancer, and more (Mayo Clinic Staff).…

    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In my opinion, I don’t think it’s morally right to take active steps to end the life of a severely impaired newborn. There’s a different new view that’s becoming more popular which is that it’s morally acceptable to end the life of a severely impaired newborn if the infant would be better off dead. That completely broke my heart. I believe if the infant is alive, we should do everything to keep the infant alive. If the infant was born so severely impaired, the chances of it staying alive are extremely low. But, as doctors and as the parents of the infant, I believe we should do everything to help the infant stay alive. It is not morally right to give up on in infant’s life just because it was born impaired no matter how bad it is. As a Christian, I believe in miracles and I believe in the power of prayer. If God, brought that baby to earth, it is only He that can take it away. The infant deserves a chance to live and deserves the support and love from everyone around them. If it’s God’s will the baby will survive, if not then God will take it back but it is not up to us to end their…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why Is Gattaca Unethical

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Primarily, one can argue that simply “flushing the other embryos down the drain” is the waste of potential human life. Discarding unwanted embryos is the direct result from embryo selection: when a woman’s eggs…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mitochondria NPR

    • 306 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Altering an egg cell in order to create a healthy baby is a very controversial issue. Physically separating an unhealthy egg and transferring the DNA to a healthy donor seems like a positive thought. On one hand, it seems very helpful for an unhealthy mother, but there may be many underlying problems. The ethical issues, along with possible legal ramifications, evolutionary impacts and regulation pose possible concerns. For example, who should have the authority to make such a decision in the first place? If this is allowed, what will the future hold with this type of technology and ability? Since a donor egg is involved, how would legal custody be determined over the child that is born? Will a child produced from this have problems later in their life? There are many questions that are brought up when this issue is discussed, and they need to be addressed.…

    • 306 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Embryonic Research Debate

    • 400 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Many people believe that using human embryos is immoral and should never be condoned. To them, the fertilization of the egg is the beginning of life and no amount of human suffering makes it worth it.…

    • 400 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the biggest problems in society today is the arguments over reproductive rights. It is an issue that has been taken and used by members of the neo-conservative right in order to hijack the vote of citizens of faith. The difficulty of this issue is it is an easy knee-jerk reaction issue. No thought is needed, all a person hears is ‘killing babies’ and they suddenly become Republican. Little consideration is given to the mother, society, or the Bible these leaders supposedly take their inspiration from. I’d like to take a moment to show why it’s not a clear cut issue in the most basic argument used, the religious one.…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Reproductive Rights

    • 695 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Not only do women have to face this problem, but they also barely have rights to basic reproductive and abortion rights. For example, in January, our president, Donald Trump, signed signed a ban on federal money going to international groups that provide information on abortions. Many people reacted to this outrage, including author J.K. Rowling who said "Men making decisions about women's bodies," a phrase we hear time and time again.…

    • 695 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In this essay, I will argue that prenatal screening for disabilities for the intent of actively choosing to have a child without a disability is immoral. By disability, I mean the definition provided in a medical dictionary: “A disadvantage or deficiency, especially a physical or mental impairment that prevents or restricts normal achievement”. This does not include diseases that are considered inevitably and irreversibly fatal, nor does it include birth situations that are considered detrimental to the mother. I will use the term “possible child” hereafter to avoid loaded and biased terms such as “fetus” or “baby”.…

    • 1835 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    For years the “rights” of abortion has remained a sore subject for discussion due to the drastically different opinions determining the rights to life of the fetus, and to which point the fetus is considered a human being. Thompson’s essay, “A Defense of Abortion,” provides a phenomenal approach in which she sets aside this common argument to evaluate the overall picture: in some circumstances, abortion is morally permissible. Although the objectives provided in Thompson’s argument prove a valid point, objections from those opposed to abortion can be evaluated and challenged by the author respectively using the examples given in her excerpt, in which we conclude that the act is, in fact morally permissible in particular circumstances.…

    • 1023 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Artificial insemination is a great medical procedure that gives women the chance to have a baby without having a male present in their life, but it does limit the knowledge of the child knowing the other 50% of his or her genes, especially if the donor was anonymous. Some women use this medical procedure for different circumstances: being unmarried, window of opportunity closing, or simply because the women are independent and feels like she does not need the help of a man to raise a child; whatever the reason it maybe, majority of sperm donors are anonymous to avoid complications in the future. Who knows, the mother could possibly become overwhelmed with the job of being a single parent and she might look for the donor and demand him to have some responsibly; which defeats the whole purpose of artificial insemination. A child conceived through artificial insemination does not know the potential genetic diseases that might be passed on from the father; therefore, sperm donors should not have the option to remain…

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays