Egg Freezing Controversy

Christy chose this industry from listening to her inner voice and needs. She devoted herself to her career and passed the peak time of fertility. She was trying to find a way to balance having a career and a family. Reading of Hewlett’s book and discussion with Christy’s friends about fertility treatment inspired Christy brought her interest in digging in the fertility industry. At that time, some medical research center started to offer freezing egg services to cancer patient before chemotherapy. Christy thought this technology could benefit professional women who often delay on serious relationships,

In the 1998 article, “Egg head”, published by Human Life review, the author, Kathryn Jean Lopez stresses that many women, mostly in their twenties, that accommodate sterile couples to give birth by “donating” their eggs for money are not fully aware of the risk and harm that may occur after. In accordance, Lopez states that the women that undergo the procedure of the “donation” of their ovaries are usually women in their twenties or college girls. These are the most targeted type of groups of donators, for they are the believed to be the fittest contestant, and more than likely to produce more eggs. Additionally, she also explains that the “donation” consists of several tests, which involve ultra sounds; injections etc. The process of the “donation”

Only twenty years ago, embryo freezing (cryopreservation) was considered a technique that raised “disturbing,” “extremely difficult,” “incredibly complex,” and even “nightmarish” ethical issues. Currently, however, at least 41 of the 169 infertility clinics in the United States have begun to implement in vitro fertilization protocols (IVF) (Freemann et al., 1986). The number of frozen embryos in this country nearly tripled, from 289 to 824, between 1985 and 1986 (Van Steirteghem and Van Den Abbel, 1988). An estimated ten infants in the U.S. and sixty in the world were born as of 1988 after having been frozen as embryos. The government and professional advisory groups have endorsed embryo

While this cannot be statistically verified for years to come, women may feel not only that the threat of their inner “time clock” may be eased by assisted reproductive technology, but also that the financial burden of these technologies will be relieved by state-mandated insurance coverage. Due to the availability of insured ART services it may be that in the foreseeable future a whole generation of women may forego natural conception, instead opting to attempt conception on their own schedule rather than under the time constraints of their biological time clock.

Lastly, Mary, a co-worker, was interviewed in relation to embryonic harvesting and freezing. Mary’s nursing experience spans 30 years and as she states, science and technology have changed tremendously since the beginning of her career. Although she promotes the process of life, such as in the case of the Capato’s, she does state ethical concern in morality resulting when “embryonic freezing and harvesting is manipulated for the purposes of research,

Approximately a hundred years later, in the 1960s, women started recognizing how the state was controlling their bodies by either forcing them to stay pregnant or face unsafe methods in order to remove the embryo. As a result, several women’s

In the past, women have had to use an astonishingly large variety of fertility control methods, which allowed

Controlling fertility has always been about the power of information. Men and women around the globe have attained a basic understanding of reproductive health inherent in use of contraceptives throughout history. Condoms, withdrawal, intrauterine devices, abstinence, and other contraceptives have been utilized for over a thousand years to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Poisons and herbs were ingested to terminate unwanted pregnancies and sometimes the user put a strain on their future health utilizing these methods. Abortions were made illegal in the second half of the Nineteenth Century. These laws were put in place to help protect women’s health, not as a criminal punishment for abortions. Some reasons why there were these laws put

Almost all humans have a biological urge to have a child. However this biological urge is not always easily fulfilled for some humans because they suffer from infertility. Currently one in six Canadian couples is categorized as being infertility (Government of Canada, 2013). The World Health Organization defines infertility as a “disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse (World Health Organization, 2014). The inability to have a child naturally is a devastating medical diagnosis and many infertility couples will only have a biological child with medical intervention. The most effective medical treatment for infertility is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). IVF is the process of collecting a women’s eggs, and fertilization them with sperm then replanting the eggs into the women’s uterus (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, 2011). IVF is an expensive medical treatment that many infertilitie Canadians will need to use to fulfill their urge to a child. Even though one in six Canadian couples is define as infertilities the majority of Canada’s provincial governments do not fund infertility treatment through their health plans. Section one will examine New Public Management style of public administration. This section will look at why New Public Management developed. Who was the first government to use NPM. The benefits and cons of NPM.

Before Margaret Sanger provided women with birth control, women had no control over their fertility. Laws prohibited abortions and birth control of any forms for women mainly due to religion. This allowed men to dictate family planning leaving women feeling helpless. Currently, women with access to birth control are able to have more control over their own fertility. Jacqueline E. Darroch who works for Guttmacher Institute released an article titled, “The Pill and Men’s Involvement in Contraception”, and stated that, “in 1995, 94% of women using contraceptives themselves were using coitus independent methods, primarily the pill” (Darroch, 2000). Forms of birth control were no longer only male-oriented and did not have to consist of both man and woman’s knowledge during intercourse. As a result of this, women have gained more control of when

Deborah L. Spar’s book, The Baby Business, provides an eye opening experience about surrogacy and the selling of eggs without women becoming pregnant. I am surprised to know how people in general and the field of medicine in particular can and has find ways to make the process of procreation possible and a accessible through marketing. Considering the time of Abraham when Sara who longed to have a child asked her husband to give her a child through her maid and claim him/her as her own, was

An issue that has caused great legal debate is the freezing of eggs and embryos. Freezing allows savings eggs or embryos for later implantation; not all are used. However, frozen embryos and eggs generally have a lower success rate. The question arises of what happens to them if the couple decides to divorce, or one or both of them dies? These situations have been decided through court determinations. In 1987, the status of frozen embryos was brought before the Victorian courts with the case of Mr and Mrs Rios, who had died in a plane crash. The embryos from Mr and Mrs Rios had been frozen in 1981. There were many ethical and moral concerns regarding this case. Should the embryos remain frozen indefinitely, be donated, or kept for research? The Infertility (Medical Procedures) Act

As Canada is a very diverse country, it is import to examine the role of culture and religion in the decision. In pronatalist western societies such as Canada, a diagnosis of infertility comes attached with social and cultural stigmas; it is considered a social norm for all couples to have children. In many cultures, fertility is regards as something to be respected and the label of infertility can bring shame to not only the women but the entire family (Ripke, 2015). The stigma felt by childless women, can be voluntary and involuntary, and is a result of cultural and societal beliefs and norms. Women almost always bear the brunt of this shame as many cultures still believe that the woman is at fault when it comes to infertility (Forsythe, 2009).

Steptoe’s method of fertilizing the egg outside of the woman’s body eliminates many problems associated with reproduction like damaged Fallopian Tubes and decreased sperm mobility. After the successful birth of Louise Brown, Steptoe’s method was used throughout the world to help parents produce children. A human does not choose whether or not he or she is able to conceive children naturally. Sometimes, they are able to successfully without any major problems. However, there are also some that are unable to conceive naturally and require additional assistance. If society bans Steptoe’s method of fertilization, we are also denying any infertile adults the opportunity to produce children, even if they are not doing anything wrong. By using Steptoe’s method fertilization, infertile adults are now receiving the same opportunities as fertile adults. They are able to produce and bear their own children, and their children will receive the same opportunities as non in vitro children. Currently, there are over twelve percent of women and men that are having trouble conceiving children naturally. If humans and society are able to provide them with Steptoe’s method of fertilization, there would be thousands of new births and an increase in the overall human population. Steptoe’s method can also be used to prevent disease.

To begin with, I will provide the basic medical facts involving IVF to give a solid understanding of what goes into the whole process and what facts involving this process cause the questioning of the ethical and moral issues. Infertility affects about 4.9 million couples in the United States, or one in every twelve. Approximately one-third of infertility cases can be traced to causes in the female (Encarta). However, a small proportion of infertile