Cryobiology ethics of human reproduction

The article surveys the ethical and social issues that arise from recent developments in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) involving cryotechnology and argues that practitioners must understand ethical as well as technological issues. It discusses the risks associated with ART and the importance of the need to inform patients of them so that they can make considered decisions. It considers problematic areas in the use of ART, particularly the case of lesbian women who wish to conceive. It offers a philosophical definition of ethics and a framework for defining ethical, and unethical, clinical practice. It advocates a utilitarian approach to moral problems, one that attends to the moral consequences of actions. It examines the complex way that morality, law, and ethics interact and refers to controversial legal decisions in the United Kingdom concerning ART. This article considers the various rights (of donors, prospective parents, and offspring) that need to be taken into account by practitioners of ART.