Human Procreation between Nature and Technique. Cultural and Ethical Perspectives, in M. Cusinato - S. Girotto (eds), Management of Human Fertility and Infertility. A multidisciplinary approach

Abstract

Although almost half a century has passed since the first child conceived in a test tube was born and despite the constant improvement in techniques, we must be aware that ART’s clinical and ethical problems are today the same as back then19. Despite having promoted an unprecedented control of the reproductive process, AMP has also generated new forms of suffering related to the low success rates and the physically and psychologically demanding nature of the different steps envisaged by each cycle, especially for women. Anxiety caused by genetic tests, for example, or the sense of loss that embryonic reduction can cause, or again the disappointment due to the high failure rates of the whole path. The essay examines some of the main ethical problems posed by ART techniques, proposing a comparison between adoption and assisted reproduction