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Published on: September 19, 2011
The right to parenthood: an argument for a narrow interpretation
1Dept. of Philosophy, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel. dstatman@research.haifa.ac.il
Ethical Perspectives
|October 7, 2005
Summary
The right to parenthood does not guarantee unlimited children. State assistance for IVF may consider non-medical factors like parenting ability.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Reproductive Rights
- Family Law
Background:
- The right to parenthood is a complex ethical and legal concept.
- Existing frameworks often do not explicitly address limitations on procreative autonomy or state-funded reproductive assistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate the scope of the right to parenthood.
- To examine the conditions under which state assistance for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) should be provided.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical argumentation based on established ethical principles.
- Analysis of legal and ethical justifications for reproductive rights.
Main Results:
- The right to parenthood does not inherently include the right to an unlimited number of offspring.
- States may consider non-medical factors, such as demonstrated parenting ability, when allocating IVF resources.
Conclusions:
- Reproductive rights are subject to limitations grounded in ethical reasoning and resource allocation.
- Policy decisions regarding state-funded fertility treatments can incorporate assessments of non-medical suitability.
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