The Ethics of In Vitro Fertilization

The Ethics of In Vitro Fertilization

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a remedy for infertile individuals. Subsequently, it is a type of assisted reproductive technology whereby infertile individuals or those who do not want to conceive naturally can conceive in vitro. Therefore, it gives these individuals chances to be parents, which wouldn’t happen otherwise. Consistently, the IVF procedure involves fertilization which occurs through the fusing of sperm to an egg outside the human body. It consists of the extraction of an ovum or ova and fusing it into sperm in a specific culture. With this solution to the challenge of infertility, the cases of IVF birth have been on the increase since its development, leaving most couples and parents satisfied. However, this medical procedure raises questions that influence the ethics of human values, and their actions, such as the condition and health of the baby conceived in vitro, society values, and commercialization of the procedure (Asplund, 2019).

Discuss the technical aspects of your topic in general terms.

In vitro fertilization involves the conception of a child in vitro in a culture in a laboratory (Gardner et al., 2005). The process consists of the stimulation of the ovaries to initiate ovum release. Subsequently, the next step involves the collection of the ovum to be used in fertilization. Fertilization occurs in a culture where the sperm and the ovum are fused or through the intracytoplasmic sperm injection procedure. According to Gardner et al. 2005, the embryo culture media is considered the following parameters; the osmolality test that ensures the efficiency of the media preparation procedure, which should be at an acceptable range. The following parameter involves pH measurements, which should fall between an acceptable range and is established through the media’s pre-incubation with a similar concentration of CO2 as was present during culture preparation and measured once a sample is removed from the incubator. Also, endotoxin assays are determined through the Limulus amoebocyte lysate test, which involves the monitoring of enzymatic reactions through testing water sources used in the media creation and the somatic cell bioassay through cell lines to detect toxins present in the media that will affect the embryos. Finally, the sperm survival assay is used to determine the toxicity of the media that poses a threat to the embryo. Also, the mouse embryo bioassay is used in the screening of the media components, culture media, and the equipment to be used, and finally, monitoring the development of embryos derived from oocyte donors from 96 hours after the culturing of the embryos to assess changes in morphology and the formation of the blastocyst. The development of defects in an embryo is associated with the toxins present in the culture that originate from irregularities in media composition, biological and chemical contamination, and prions and pyrogens. Defects include congenital disabilities such as cardiovascular and musculoskeletal defects, low-weight birth, and perinatal death.

Discuss the public policy debates relevant to the topic you choose. This section should cover arguments that favor and oppose the use of the techniques or products.

The technical aspects influence public policy debates. Accordingly, public policy debates are influenced by society’s values and technical aspects. According to Asplund 2019, a couple of debates arise from social values that have seen changes in association with the IVF procedure. The first debate is based on IVF procedure administration to single women and same-sex couples. This debate focuses on the well-being of the child delivered to such families, in consideration of the welfare of the child, and the bias against the said parents, due to the legal restrictions posed on them in some countries. This factor raises debates on the discrimination single mothers and same-sex couples face when they desire to have children. The second debate is based on the administration of the IVF procedure to people of the upper age limit. This debate focuses on the women past age-bearing age who receive children through the IVF procedure, in consideration of the fact that the parent may pass away before the child obtains skills to provide for themselves. Additionally, these children are proven to be more vulnerable physically and mentally as compared to children born to young parents. The third debate is based on the influence of religion on IVF procedures. Religious principles may interfere with IVF procedure administration, which will pose a challenge to infertile women and men who are religious. An example is the Catholic church, which in 2007 spoke against all forms of assisted reproduction procedures, which may influence the decisions of some infertile Catholics (Asplund, 2019).

Express your personal opinion regarding the topic’s importance and the validity of the pro and con arguments.

Several ethical issues arise from both technical aspects and public policies. These ethical issues arise with respect to the condition and health of the baby conceived in vitro, society values, and commercialization of the procedure. The first ethical issue is associated with the condition and health of the baby conceived in vitro. In some instances, the child conceived in vitro is born with defects such as cardiovascular and musculoskeletal defects and other syndromes. These birth defects raise ethical issues regarding IVF procedures and their outcomes. Ethical issues also arise from social values. Society values mostly disapprove of the IVF procedure, especially the people who seek this service, such as single mothers, same-sex parents, and older parents. Their ability to obtain children through IVF raises ethical issues. Another issue that raises ethical issues is the commercialization of the procedure with an increase in its demand. The ethical issues associated with the commercialization of the procedure include the financial exploitation of individuals in need of the procedure and the buying and selling of gametes and embryos (Asplund, 2019).

Despite these ethical issues arising in various aspects, there are advantages to the procedure. The advantages of in vitro fertilization are evident in various societies. According to Mastenbroek et al. 2007, the first advantage involves Preimplantatory Genetic Diagnosis, which is essential for women who are past childbearing age to improve IVF efficiency. According to Asplund (2019), other advantages include social egg freezing and egg sharing, whereby the oocytes are preserved through cryopreservation until the donor is ready to become a parent, and the sharing of the eggs with other women in need of eggs but are limited. However, social egg freezing may contribute to late childbearing which might be associated with upper age limits, and egg sharing contributes to the commercialization of IVF procedures through the selling of gametes. Another advantage involves surrogacy, which gives infertile parents a chance to have children through partial surrogacy through insemination or full surrogacy through the introduction of the in vitro embryo into a surrogate. Subsequently, the advantages of IVF are also surrounded by ethical issues such as the issues associated with surrogacy; however, IVF gives infertile people chances to become parents.

Opinion and Conclusion

In conclusion, despite the ethical issues that arise in society, IVF helps multiple people get children. Because it fulfills the dreams of infertile people by helping them become parents, accordingly, based on this discussion, this procedure helps people, especially infertile people, become parents, and therefore, the medical procedure should be perfected and applied. This opinion is based on the limitations associated with the procedure, which can be perfected through quality control of the procedure and its outcomes. Therefore, despite all the limitations and ethical issues related to IVF, the procedure is important in society. It is also a crossed milestone in medical practices that opens the door to more research and advanced medical procedures.

References

Asplund, K. (2019). Use of in vitro fertilization—ethical issues. Upsala Journal Of Medical Sciences, 125(2), 192-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/03009734.2019.1684405

Gardner, D., Reed, L., Linck, D., Sheehan, C., & Lane, M. (2005). Quality Control in Human In Vitro Fertilization. Seminars In Reproductive Medicine, 23(04), 319-324. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2005-923389

Mastenbroek, S., Twisk, M., van Echten-Arends, J., Sikkema-Raddatz, B., Korevaar, J., & Verhoeve, H. et al. (2007). In Vitro Fertilization with Preimplantation Genetic Screening. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(1), 9-17. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa067744

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Week 10 Term Paper: Final Draft

This week you will submit the final draft of your term paper. Your term paper should:

The Ethics of In Vitro Fertilization

• Discuss the technical aspects of your topic in general terms.
• Discuss the public policy debates relevant to the topic you choose. This section should cover arguments that favor and oppose the use of the techniques or products.
• Express your personal opinion regarding the topic’s importance and the validity of the pro and con arguments.
• Your submission must include:
  • A title page
  • The body of the paper, which includes 4–6 content pages of a professionally written text
  • At least three references from textbooks, websites, and articles that provide adequate justification and support your claim
  • Subheadings (technical aspects, public policy, and personal opinion/conclusion)
  • Appropriate in-text citations throughout the paper
  • A reference list with only the sources used in the body of the paper (All sources should be less than five years old unless recent research is not available, and at least one reference must be a peer-reviewed article from a professional journal. Do not use Wikipedia or an encyclopedia as they are not considered reliable academic sources and will not be accepted.)
  • APA style formatting throughout your paper