A Close Insight into Medical Assisted Procreation (MAP) and related Informed Consent: A Recent Case from Italy

Law n. 40/2004 regulated Medically Assisted Procreation (MAP) in Italy. The case described in this article is part of the many judicial cases that have affected this legislation. Following the marital separation process, the former husband withdrew consent to the implantation of already formed embryos in the uterus of his former wife who turned to the judiciary to obtain permission to initiate such a procedure. This paper consists of an analysis of this judicial process and deals with medical-legal and bioethical issues. In contrast to what is stated in Law n. 40/2004, the subsequent Law n. 219/2017 about informed consent, establishes the general principle of the withdrawal of consent until the healthcare procedure is carried out. Another issue concerns the difficult balance between the guarantee of personal freedom and the embryo's life protection, considering that although the embryo is already formed, it is not a person yet. In light of the existence of previous conflicting judicial sentences, the careful and separate assessment of the case under discussion, together with potential future events, is essential to reach a balanced conclusion, that can resolve disputes in the Italian constantly changing society.