Medically assisted reproduction. Sperm donation and artificial insemination

Résumé du document

Science and technology have made great strides in recent years. Nowadays, umpteen number of medically assisted reproduction methods exist in countries that are well developed and efficient. This phenomenon can be regarded as an evolution with respect to biotechnology along with the human mind that has created such a successful concept. But contrary to other technologies like the atomic bomb or the possibility to travel through space, biotechnology and more precisely medically assisted reproduction methods concern the human life itself. It is indeed a wonderful concept to give birth to a child by scientifically developed methodologies and helps people realize their dreams by starting a family. That is the reason why these new techniques evoked great interest among the public as well as in the medical and legal profession. However these new concepts have posed many issues regarding the ethics of the countries that are permitted to practice them. These ethical and legal discourses are necessary for societies to develop and form their responses to such medical innovations. Among all the different medically assisted reproduction methods that are practiced, artificial insemination is very popular and is usually the first choice for people considering medically induced reproduction techniques. I found this concept very interesting to study (though it is very old and regularly practiced) because it concentrates on ethical issues that surface especially with respect to concepts like sperm donation. Thus, the first part of the essay will enclose a short presentation on the topic ?Artificial Insemination by Donor' (AID). Then the second and the third part of the assignment will take into consideration the dilemmas and ambiguities experienced with the above technique. The essay will be discussed using real life examples and cases that have occurred all over the world.

Extraits

[...] [http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/science/genius_sperm_bank/how_why/index.shtml] Discovery channel, Genius Sperm Bank: Selective breeding [http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/science/genius_sperm_bank/selective_breeding/index.sht ml] Discovery channel, Genius Sperm Bank: Twenty years on [http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/science/genius_sperm_bank/twenty_years/index.shtml] FAY.B Sperm, ovules et compagnie [http://investigation.blog.lemonde.fr/2005/09/12/2005_09_sperme_ovules_e/] HAMON.B Anonymat, secret, filiation et assistance à la procréation, Aspects réglementaires et sociaux, Approche internationale [http://www.ccne-ethique.fr/francais/avis/a_090Annexe1.htm] ivf-infertility.com, Last updated: 28/01/2007 Artificial insemination [http://www.ivf-infertility.com/insemination/index.php] ivf-infertility.com, Last updated: 2005 Sperm donation, Intrauterine insemination (IUI) [http://www.ivf-infertility.com/donation/sperm/sperm11.php] ivf-infertility.com, Last updated: 2005. Sperm donation, counseling of donor [http://www.ivf-infertility.com/donation/sperm/sperm4.php] ivf-infertility.com, Last updated: 2005. Sperm donation, screening of sperm [http://www.ivf-infertility.com/donation/sperm/sperm3.php] ivf-infertility.com, Last updated: 2006. Sperm donation [http://www.ivf-infertility.com/donation/sperm/index.php] KARPASEA-JONES.J Infertility http://infertility.suite101.com/blog.cfm/should_donors_be_anonymous Loi 94-654 du 29 juillet 1994 relative au don et à l'utilisation des éléments et produits du corps humain à l'assistance médicale à la procréation et au diagnostic prénatal. [http://ampcochin.paris.free.fr/legislation94.htm#74758] PECK.P Anonymous sperm donation [http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50877&page=2] PENNINGS.G and WERT.G Evolving ethics in medically assisted reproduction. [...]

[...] He said lesbian couples were far more open about the child's conception than were "straight couples" who had also used donor sperm to achieve a pregnancy. He said that because of the numerous debates that are brought about concerning this subject, the couples he met had long considered the implications of bringing a child into their lives. # " & ' I think that the most part of the arguments to protest against the AID for the lesbian couple are those which are actually used against the homoparentality. [...]

[...] Then I found very rewarding to consider the issues that are arisen with lesbian couple, and I hardly think that they should have the right to reach to this medically assisted method in all the countries that practice it. Finally, the eugenics drifts has to be taken in consideration. I reckon that all the sperm banks are not providing eugenics methods. But for some people the simple fact to choose the donor regarding to specific criteria is eugenic. That leads us to the main consideration I wanted to propose. The most part of the ethical issues concerning biotechnology like for instance the eugenics dilemma, are actually arising “limit considerations”. [...]

[...] We can see a great contradiction between Denmark and the other Nordic countries. Belgium shows a very contradictory legislation with on one hand, a right for the child to have access to all his medical files, and on another hand, a doctor who, according to the 458th article of the penal code, has to protect the identity of the donor. Finally we have to keep in mind one thing: Contradictory or not precise laws can bring the hospitals and the sperm bank to act in their own and to provoke drifts. [...]

[...] In his opinion, sperm bank defend an ideology which favours genetic quality instead of “emotivity”. " To counter these arguments, Whitney, G. (1999) in his paper “Reproduction technology for a new eugenics” demonstrates that, actually, the use of certain means that are now deeply integrated in the moral standards, had unintended eugenics consequences. For example, the use of contraception means would have provoked dysgenic results. Further, women's liberation including co-educational higher education, it means the fact to gather young men and young women in the same colleges, would have formed eugenics matches. [...]