Subscribe to be the first to know about Best Deals and Exclusive Offers!
BOOK TITLE: Principles and Practice of Assisted Reproductive Technology
Reproductive medicine is a domain of medicine which is highly regulated by law. It touches upon the most fundamental values in any society and elicits the attention of lawmakers, because of the many ethical aspects attached to it. Views on family values, gender roles, the status of the embryo and the unborn child and the best interest of the child are important contributing elements to ethical and hence legal decisions in assisted reproductive technology (ART). This chapter focuses on ethical, legal and social issues of modern ART. This chapter starts with explaining some basic ethical principles in medicine, which will then apply to reproductive medicine. Further, this chapter will illustrate how different countries have put in place legislation in order to deal with these ethical questions. This chapter will also touch upon the phenomenon of cross-border reproductive care, and end with some social aspects of ART. Many societies still struggle with new societal developments, such as single and gay parenthood, and also these are highly regulated everywhere. Reproductive medicine, ethics and law therefore constitute an eternal triangle of evolution and debate.