Reproductive Ethics

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Reproductive Ethics
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Reproductive Ethics

• New Reproductive Technologies
• In vitro fertilization/Artificial insemination,
  etc., etc.
• Types of Parenthood
• Genetic Mother
• Genetic Father
• Gestational Mother
• Nurturing Mother
• Nurturing Father
• No longer need A, C, and D to be the same woman
• Which one is the "real" parent?

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Reproductive Ethics
How far should we control our own
reproduction? Cloning Genetic altering of cloned
material Sperm/egg "catalogues" What do we do
with non-implanted embryos? Can sperm be
harvested post-mortem and used for reproduction?
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Reproductive Ethics the New Reproductive
Technologies

• Issues
• Parenthood who's the "real" parent?
• Surrogate Parenthood
• Should it be allowed?
• If allowed, what are the conditions for a
  surrogate parenthood contract?
• Right of first refusal
• Health of Gestational Mother
• What if there are defects? Who's responsible

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Reproductive Ethics the New Reproductive
Technologies

• Surrogate Parenthood (cont.)
• Does the surrogate mother have rights to the
  child post partum?
• The status of the surrogate mother is dependant
  on her role, e.g. provider of the womb, provider
  of the egg(s)
• Cases Baby M and Mary Beth Whitehead

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Reproductive Ethics the New Reproductive
Technologies

• Cloning
• For Ideal candidate for transplantsReplacing
  lost childrenSelecting traits
• Against Against Nature or GodNon-natural means
  of reproductionReduces genetic
  diversityProduces "designer children"

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Reproductive Ethics the New Reproductive
Technologies

• Cloning (cont.)
• Related Issue Genetic altering of cloned
  material
• Possible problem "age" of clone

Other issues status of first cloned
cellsstatus of mature human clone
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Reproductive Ethics the New Reproductive
Technologies

• Sperm/Egg "Catalogues"
• What do we do with non-implanted embryos?
• What is the moral status of being from fertilized
  egg to embryo to birth?
• Should there be research on embryos?
• Does it have the right to be implanted, to
  thrive, to not be harmed?
• Should frozen embryos be thought of as property?
  Davis case

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Reproductive Ethics the New Reproductive
Technologies

• Can sperm be harvested post-mortem and used for
  reproduction?
• At what point does the number of children born at
  one time become unacceptable? Septuplets?
  Octuplets? Nonuplets?
• Is there an upper limit on the age of the mother?
  55? 60? 65?
• Are there unacceptable reasons for having
  children, e.g. Ayala case?

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Abortion
1) When does personhood begin? Personhood Has
the right to life Has the right to develop
Has the right not to be harmed

• Some answers
• At conception
• When electrical activity begins
• At "quickening"
• At viability the end of the 2nd trimester (24
  weeks)
• Usually means national viability," not needing
  elaborate technical support

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Abortion
Currently, babies can be saved after about 21
weeks, 1000-1500 grams

• What kind of question is "when does personhood
  begin?"
• A scientific question
• A religious or philosophical question
• Whenever personhood begins, does anything
  override it?
• Harm to the mother?
• A woman's right to control her own body?