Reproductive Ethics

• Reproductive Ethics


  A field of study that explores the moral, philosophical, and legal issues surrounding reproduction and reproductive health
• Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

  • Fertility treatments and procedures that can help with difficulties or an inability to conceive children
  • Involves the manipulation of eggs, sperm, or embryos to increase the likelihood of a successful pregnancy
  • Refers to medical procedures that aim to achieve pregnancy
  • Typically an option for people for whom other infertility treatments may not work or those who have already tried treatment but have not become pregnant
• Contraception


  • The use of medicines, devices, or surgery to prevent pregnancy
  • There are many different types of birth control, and they work in different ways
• Abortion


  The early termination of a pregnancy, which can happen spontaneously, as in the case of a miscarriage, or can happen when the pregnancy is ended by medical or surgical means
• Prenatal Testing and Screening

  • Offered to women during pregnancy to determine if the fetus has a possibility to be born with a genetic condition or birth defect
  • Performing prenatal testing may be useful in determining different options for the pregnancy or special management of the pregnancy and delivery to improve the outlook for the baby
  • Several types of prenatal testing are available, depending on which trimester of pregnancy the mother is in and the type of condition in question
• Who is Offered Prenatal Testing

  • All pregnant women, regardless of age
  • Women of advanced maternal age
  • Family history or a previous child with a genetic condition
  • Parents who are known carriers of a specific genetic condition
  • Abnormal ultrasound findings
  • Screening test results
• Reproductive Rights


  • The rights of individuals to decide freely and responsibly on the number, spacing, and timing of their children
  • The right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health
  • The right to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion, and violence
• Key Aspects of Reproductive Rights

  • Access to a full range of quality reproductive healthcare services
  • The right to decide on the number and spacing of their children
  • The right to make decisions about reproduction free of discrimination
  • The right to privacy in making reproductive decisions
  • The right to access accurate information about reproductive health and family planning methods
  • The right to make decisions about reproduction free of violence and coercion