The role of the reproductive technology clinic in the imposition of societal values
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17814227 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Teresa M Segal (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2010 |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 90-108 |
| Publication date | 2010-09-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1937-4577 • E-ISSN: 1937-4585 |
| Publisher | University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.3138/ijfab.3.2.90 |
| OpenAlex | W2081001318 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 1 |
IVF/PGS procedures require that all embryos produced for potential implantation be screened for genetic abnormalities: only embryos free of genetic defects may be implanted or cryogenically preserved for future implantation. In this paper, I argue that the standard practice of the reproductive technology clinic (RTC), according to which all abnormal embryos must be discarded, unjustly imposes certain biases and discriminatory social values upon persons for whom it may not be a significant concern that their offspring would be disabled. The “standard” practice both reflects a bias against disability and imposes this bias upon those who seek reproductive assistance from RTCs. I argue, therefore, that insofar as consenting to the destruction of any abnormal embryos as a condition of IVF treatment, RTCs threaten the autonomy of women (or parents) seeking medical assistance to overcome infertility. Finally, I examine recent empirical findings which suggest that genetic screening and destruction of abnormal embryos does not actually aid the overall objective of IVF, which is live birth, and may actually hinder it
Assisted reproductive technology · Autonomy · Biology · Cryopreservation · Embryo · Environmental health · Fertility · Genetic diagnosis · Gynecology · Infertility · Offspring · Political science · Population · Pregnancy · Reproductive technology · Social acceptance · Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare · Law · Medicine · Prenatal Screening and Diagnostics · Psychology · Reproductive Health and Technologies · Social Psychology · Genetics
| Highly cited | No |
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