Artificial Insemination Restrictions Based on Financial Stability - Essay Example

Artificial Insemination Restrictions Based On Financial Stability Artificial insemination has become well established in today’s world and many of the infertile couples have a way of getting children. This procedure is also common in unmarried females who want children. The procedure is, however, extremely costly, and only those with economic capabilities can afford. The procedure has provided infertile women with an opportunity to conceive children. Those who engage in this procedure often get in touch with their moral values and make their own decision. They make decisions according to their moral standards. However, those who want to conceive children using artificial insemination should have stable financial background showing that they can support the child. Artificial insemination is the injection of sperm in a female’s uterus with the purpose of impregnating her. This usually occurs if the husband or partner is not able to make her pregnant or if the female has fertility problems. Most of the laws only provide that children can only be conceived through the biological method. This indicates that there are no legal restrictions for artificial insemination. Parenthood has not been altered in the constitution, and this indicates that problems associated with artificial insemination cannot be dealt with legally. This occurs in some countries such as Israel (Green 1). However, artificial conception has been legalized in most of western countries and other developing countries. The procedure of insemination is mostly legalized for married couples to ensure that children will be brought up in the right environment. If used by other groups of people such as unmarried individuals and lesbians, many legal considerations such as the financial status should be considered. They should be capable of bringing up the baby without any problem. According to the Hosmer model, individuals are supposed to act in the correct manner for them to be trusted. Acting in the right way is morality and morality always creates trust and indicated a commitment of the individual. The study of the morality of an individual who wants to conceive artificially is relevant, especially for those who are not married. It shows the level in which an individual can commit himself or herself to the task. Trust is always linked to commitment and commitment linked to effort. However, sometimes moral behavior is usually ruined by personal desires. An individual would do anything to create certainty that they acquire what they desire. This includes changing their behavior on that certain occasion. Some behaviors cannot be changed, as they are inbuilt like facial expressions. The individual who wants to conceive artificially should be fit and morally correct. Legislations on child protection should be developed so that they provide for changes in technology especially in reproduction (Shaw and Corvino 380). The couple ought to be capable of supporting the kid and grant him his rights according to the law. Insemination should have obligations and should, therefore, not be an option for anyone. This will ensure that the child is raised up in the right environment. Lack of this is what leads to children mistreatment, and children who are denied their rights. Artificial insemination needs to be controlled among the populace. Childcare needs a lot of attention and the mother does not have time to work but take care of the child. They will only work when the child matures enough. This requires the mother to have financial resources at the time they are not working. It is, therefore, significant to restrict the procedure to married couples whereby one couple will be working while the other will be caring for the child. Those who are engaging in this practice should be financially stable so that they can support their children. In some cases, one delivers multiple children, which can be tough for the mother especially if she had prepared for only one child. Every parent has a duty to provide for their children with food, clothing and shelter. They also should provide with proper medical care and education. Having a baby is one thing but providing for the baby is another thing. Legality on the financial aspect should be observed so that the toddler will have a comfortable home. Age is also a restriction to artificial insemination especially for the old individuals. Old individuals are restricted by their age and cannot work in the same way as young people. Some of them rely on financial support by the government. There should be restrictions regarding this situation, and they should provide a proof to show their capability. This will reduce the number of children who are left by their parents at a tender age because of death or incapability to support them. Children are valuable and should be take care of in the right manner. When one compares the children from stable families and those from single parenthood they will find that those from stable families are better than those from single mothers (Clark-Lempers, Lempers, and Netusil 22). Single parents make up fragile families, which mean that they can easily break. Financial situations can break them as well as emotional incapability of the single parent. Before a couple is allowed for artificial insemination, the couples relationships and capabilities should be investigated. This will guarantee that the baby will be raised in a steady environment. It will also establish whether the biological father or the donating father will participate in the child’s life. Therefore, information on the economic resources is exceedingly relevant for assessment of parental capabilities. Lack of this is what leads to children dropping out of schools and engagement in criminal activities. Restrictions should particularly be imposed on single mothers and those who have divorced because according to studies they have low income. Resources can be utilized to confirm the constancy of an individual or couple (Gugucheva 2). The parents’ marital status is a relevant stand-in to indicate the background the child will develop in after delivery. It will be better if the clinics will extract this information before performing the procedure of artificial insemination. Economic hardships always lead to pressure and declining of family relationships. Children will always view their parents as failures, and this is not the right attitude for children’s growth. Economic disadvantages are usually associated with negative growth in children. This is not the correct technique of rearing children, and the law provides that children should have their basic rights. Arguing that the financial ability does not matter in raising a child is not valid because it matters immensely. Laws should be implemented on finances to ensure that children will not suffer. For example, if a single mother delivers four children after artificial insemination and she had only planned for one makes it hard for her to raise the other three. She will begin asking for help from the government and well wishers in which both parties are not reliable. She will then experience stress and passes it on to her children. The children will be emotionally unstable or disturbed. This was not expected when she artificially conceived and cannot be reversed. At this point, regulations and limitations on artificial insemination have to be employed. In a situation whereby the parent is old and wants a child, the doctor should consider many factors such as age and economic stability. An old couple or individual could die anytime, and this would leave the child in foster homes or children’s home. Obtaining of parental insurance can also help in meeting financial needs for almost a year without working. This would be of considerable help instead of placing the children under child protection because one is incapable of supporting the child. The problem with this is that artificial insemination will only be available for those who are economically viable. This according to some critics is unfair, as some women would do anything to get children though they do not have a lot of wealth. Women are usually emotional, and many think that large percentages cannot leave their children to suffer. They always find ways of survival. The procedure is quite costly, and most of the individuals use almost all their savings to have the procedure being done (Braveman). This should be considered as much as we want to protect the well being of children. Child rearing does not only require one to be financially stable but also emotionally stable. Doing what is morally right is far more significant than wealth. Children need to grow in the proper way, which is morally correct. Studies indicate that mothers are the greatest contributors of rearing a child. On the other hand, childhood is an extremely vulnerable stage, which requires the parents to be proficient to provide for them. A child needs healthcare, education and nutrition, and if the mother is not competent to provide for this then she does not have a right of bringing the child into existence. However, through biological conception this could not be controlled (Mahowald 95). Artificial insemination, therefore, is a proper way to control it and ensure that able parents or parent brings up children. However, being wealthy does not always mean that the child will have access to all his / her rights. They might be deprived by one of the parents. The provision of legal restrictions will ensure that child poverty is reduced, and children are provided with the basic needs. It is ethical to provide for a child’s needs and ensure that they are comfortable. It is, however, unethical to deliver a baby whom one is not able to take care of and provide with basic needs. A morally upright individual will consider many factors such as their financial capability and emotional situation before conceiving. They would not want their child to suffer from any problem. The morality of a person also displays much about their personality. A morally upright person will also be committed to ensuring that the child does not suffer and that they will get the best (Cooper, McLanahan, Meadows, and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn 563). This indicates the significance of using psychology in judging the capability of an individual. It would be unfair to rate a person in terms of financial capabilities only. Other factors such as morality are relevant in this measurement. Parental capability should be measurable, and observations should be highly utilized. Mistakes should not be made in the establishment of the suitable individual who qualifies for insemination. The parents should guarantee that they have the capability of raising their children without government support. The child’s basic rights should be taken care of in a secure mode, which will not render the child to any form of dangers. However, the government has the right to intervene in case they sense any form of ill treatment by the parent. An individual chooses the life that they want would want to lead. This differs among individuals as it does not only center on the legal provisions but their doings or outcomes. An individual is capable if they can use their senses to reason in the right way, have emotions, have satisfactory health, can differentiate what is right or wrong and be able to maintain work and property. These are required for sound parenting, which will yield proper results. Individuals, who fail to meet the legal restrictions based on the financial capabilities, however, can be charged in the court of law. Implementation of these restrictions will ensure that people take artificial conception seriously and follow the laid down regulations. Single females should not expect any form of financial assistance from the donors. This is because some donors are never concerned or in some situations showed support for only a short duration. There should be justice in the provision of some services such as artificial insemination. These services should be available to the whole population so that reproduction will be equalized and be a right for all (Braveman). Higher costs always limit the people who get access to this form of reproduction. Legal requirements should implement costs, which are appropriate for all individuals who have infertility problems (Shaw and Corvino 378). It should not be limited to only those who are wealthy. The implementation of these restrictions is, however, hard since most of the health centers which provide these services are privatized. Service for all is a morally right aspect for individuals. Ethics require that differences in accessibility of resources be minimized. However, according to the utilitarian theory of ethics the service is limited to make it available to others. This argument is, however, not sufficient because it does not offer a legitimate basis for injustice. This paper argues for legal restrictions in the event of artificial insemination on the basis on financial capabilities. The legal restrictions help deal with individuals who are not morally upright but want to have children through insemination. Moral rights, however, have more strength than legal rights because they are rooted on the aspect of public opinion somewhat than laws. The desire to have a baby is dependent on the reason for having the baby. It could be because it is a basic requirement or just a developed interest. Individuals should know that parenthood is not an obligation that everyone must follow. It is an interest that one develops naturally (Mahowald 101). The treatment should only be provided for those who are positive right and who desire parenthood. If insemination is ethically justified, then the patient should receive treatment. It does not matter whether the patient is single, married, or divorced. The doctors have no right of denying an individual who wants to be a parent the chance to be and if so, they should give a valid reason to them. Works cited Becker, Sascha , Bentolila, Samuel, Fernandes, Ana, and Andrea Ichino. ‘Youth Emanciapation and Perceived Job Insecurity of Parents and Children’, Centre for Economic Policy Research Discussion Paper No. 5338, 2005. Braveman, Tarimo, and Creese. Equity in health and health care: a WHO Initiative. World Health Organization, Geneva. 1996. Clark-Lempers, Dania , Lempers, Jacques , and Netusil, Anton . “Family Financial Stress, Parental Support, and Young Adolescents’ Academic Achievement and Depressive Symptoms”, Journal of Early Adolescence, Vol. 10 (1), 1990, pp. 21-36. Cooper, Carey, McLanahan, Sara, Meadows, Sarah and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn. “Family Structure Transitions and Maternal Parenting Stress.” Journal of Marriage and Family. 71(3),2009, pp 558-574. Green, Joseph. Artificial Insemination in Israel – A Legal View, Pp. 1-2 Web. 16 April 2012. Available at: Gugucheva, Magdalina, Surrogacy in America. Council for Responsible Genetics. Cambridge, 2010, pp 2-4 Web. 16 April 2012. Available at: Mahowald, Mary. Women and Children in Health Care: An Unequal Majority, Oxford University Press. Pp 93-101 McLanahan, Sara and Gary Sandefur. Growing Up with a Single Parent. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1994. Shaw, Bill and Corvino, John Business Ethics Quarterly Vol. 6 (3), 1996, pp. 373-383 Web. 16 April 2012. Available at: Read More