First, do no harm: Generalized procreative non-maleficence.

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Reproductive Ethics
• Moral Philosophy

Background:

• Reproductive technologies grant parents choices regarding offspring.
• Existing moral principles, like the Principle of Procreative Beneficence (PPB), guide these choices.
• PPB suggests parents should select the child with the best expected quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critique the Principle of Procreative Beneficence (PPB).
• To propose a new ethical framework for reproductive decision-making.
• To introduce the Principle of Generalized Procreative Non-Maleficence (PGPNM).

Main Methods:

• Critically analyzing Julian Savulescu's Principle of Procreative Beneficence (PPB).
• Integrating two distinct critiques of PPB: focus on general wellbeing and non-maximizing principles.
• Developing a novel ethical principle based on these integrated critiques.

Main Results:

• The Principle of Procreative Beneficence (PPB) is challenged by focusing on broader wellbeing.
• Non-maximizing principles, aiming for 'good enough' outcomes or harm avoidance, offer an alternative to maximization.
• The Principle of Generalized Procreative Non-Maleficence (PGPNM) emerges as a more plausible ethical guide.

Conclusions:

• The primary parental obligation in reproductive choices is to avoid causing harm to others.
• PGPNM offers a revised ethical standard for reproductive technologies, shifting focus from child maximization to harm prevention.
• This principle emphasizes societal impact and general wellbeing over individual child optimization.