Artificial reproductive technologies – a bioethic perspective

Abstract

Introduction: In a world in which the infertility rate is rising perilously, the artificial reproductive technologies bring with them a beam of hope, but, in the same time, they are challenging humanity with unusual bioethical problems. Purpose: Presentation and discussion of artificial reproductive technologies’ main bioethical aspects. Material and methods: For study accomplishment were used both international bibliographical resources and autochthonous one, also scientific publications. Results: The main ethical and juridical problems brought up by assisted human reproduction (AHR) regard gametes donation, substitute motherhood, cryoconservation of gametes and embryos. Gametes donation questions the rights of the donor, the rights of the recipient and the criteria applied by the gametes collector corporations. Substitute motherhood is being subjected to some heated polemics because of the filiation problems it generates, as well as the difficulties with surrogate mother’s rights. Not less controversial is the procedure of cryoconservation of gametes and embryos, which tackles fundamental questions like: When a human being becomes a personality? Conclusions: AHR is capable of changing the millennial humanity’s paradigm about reproduction and the kinship of descendants with their progenitors, that is why the utilization of that techniques demands precaution and sapience.