Ivf Analysis

Part A:

Without doubt, technology is developing dramatically after the second industrial revolution. Exploration of human life activities and principles are becoming more and more frequent and deep, associating with "biotechnology", which is a broad term given to a wide range of technologies suing DNA to make or modify lives or products (Preston, 2007). One special term is In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), a major treatment for infertility and a measure for same-sexual couples who want babies. IVF is the process to combine an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish. When it is successful, the embryo will be placed in the patient's uterus physically to establish a successful pregnancy (Americanpregnancy, 2012). My question is "Is it ethical for couples using IVF for babies?" The current evidence indicates a 9% prevalence of infertility (of 12 months) with 56% of couples seeking medical care (Boivin, Bunting, Collins, Nygren, 2007), and larger amount of homo-sexual couples are in appearance in nowadays. IVF has already exceeded the traditional reproductive patterns, having babies without any sex activities. Using IVF could help some group of people get next generations, but the rate of success and cost, treatment way of tube babies also are discussed acutely. So is the above question is undoubtedly in need of a fundamental enquiry and ethical analysis.

Part B

The news from Chicago Tribune said, Katie O'connor and her husband thought about having a baby through in vitro fertilisation which went against the teachings of the Catholic Church (Keilman & Jenco, 2012). Two different sides are debating the topic of IVF whether it is moral and ethical. One side said, represented by Dr Schattman, the modern medicine technology has come advanced, and there are a lot of people who could become wonderful parents, just accepted with the help of the IVF. When viable embryos becomes in form, some of them could be placed back in the uterus, and with the hope they will develop into a baby. Pregnancies assisted by science is allowed, which could be separated from normal human life to bear a baby. In addition, IVF laws, which is seeking to grant legal rights to embryos, have been proposed in thirty three states, though none has yet been enacted (Keilman & Jenco, 2012).

But on the other side, the fact of technique of in vitro fertilisation often result in destruction of surplus embryos, which are not implanted, but are alternatively donated to researchers or simply thrown out. (Keilman & Jenco, 2012). Moreover, low IVF success rate leads to sacrifice embryos. Over 2 million embryos were created by specialists to assist couples to have babies since year 1991 in UK. However, only 5.1% of the embryos has resulted in a live birth (Roberts, 2008). Furthermore, many women are unable to afford additional cycles of IVF using set so they are prefer to choose multiple embryo transfer, resulting in multiple birth which is less desirous than single birth. Thus, the birth rate of twins will rise, especially in USA, where the rat has increased 70 percent since the 1980s. Another fact is about the aspect of value. A paper from Southern Cross Bioethics institute in Australia, said that if human being's life begins at conception, the embryo has a unique genetic code that will guide its growth and development until old age. It is impossible for IVF to be practiced in a way that respects that new life (SCBI, 2008).

Part C:

The ethical issue will be analysed using act utilitarianism, the theory was firstly introduced in the 19th century by Jeremy Bentham to judge the correctness of an action in terms of its consequences (Sulliva, 2009 p. 530). The goal is to conclude whether the act of "producing babies through technique of in vitro fertilisation" is going to produce the greatest amount of pleasure and happiness opposed to the pain caused by the action, the objective is to determine the greatest net utility for the maximum amount of people. When looking at the act of IVF for couples, there are some positives and negatives.

Positives: 1. It helps couples that are struggling with infertility or same-sexual couples to have biological children. It is of significant to many people who want to have children of their own, not adopted. IVF seems like a possibility of one more step that would make less frequent distressing conversation of infertility with a patient (Anonymous, 2006). IVF could help couples to form a family which is complete.

2. IVF can also be beneficial to couples who have a family of genetic disease. Method of in vitro fertilization could promote the quality of babies, preventing birth defects. If one or both of the couple are a carrier for disease, the most advanced technology could undertake the screening of the eggs or sperm during the IVF process, reducing the risk of babies suffering from serious genetic diseases (Anonymous, 2006). Parents would have more healthy babies.

3. With healthy babies are born, parents will be more happy than before, thus improving the quality of live. The society will become more harmonious.

4. Application of IVF could create a new industry, resulting in more job opportunities, ensuring Larger amount of citizens could find jobs and social stabilization.

Negatives: 1. A direct question is "Grandma-level" mother will appear. The technology could meet women's need to be a mother. When a women, who is over 50 years old, finishes the IVF and has a baby, how could imagine when the child grows at the age of 15? The mother is already 65years old. It is hard to say the mother have the ability to raise the child normally, influencing the development of children (Anonymous, 2006).

2. IVF is argued that it would affect the composition of the families and social structures, as well as children's mental development including being socially ostracized. Some feminists worried that with new technology enabling more women to have children, giving pressures on society by doing such activities. Such side effect is also brought in same-sexual couples who have got babies through IVF (Novak, 2012). Children are entitled, the love and care given to them should by both their mothers and fathers. Without fathering or mothering a child, the same-sexual could not give the next generation a reasonable environment to grow up, inducing confusions to their children.

3. Current success rate for IVF in Ireland is only 21.1% (in keeping with the European-wide average). With not so high success rate of IVF, couples who remain childless after using IVF are significantly more risky of being hospitalized for mental problems (Marcus, 2003). Over a period of 12 years, 18% of couples who did not have babies are more likely to end