Artificial Reproduction in Humans - Research Paper Example

Artificial Reproduction in Humans - Processes, Applications and Ethical Considerations Introduction Reproduction in humans, using artificial methods such as IVF, AI and embryo transplantation, forms a part of the subject known as Genetic Engineering. Genetic Engineering is a branch of the life sciences, which deals with restructuring the genetic makeup of the human chromosome at the basic molecular level. Researches in this study of science have brought about revolutionary changes in the medical field, and have helped many couples who cannot conceive for certain medical reasons to have children of their own. Artificial reproduction consists of three major procedures, the IVF, AI and embryo transplantation. In IVF or in-vitro fertilization, where the egg is fertilized by sperm cells outside the womb in a glass container, is a major process that is undertaken when all other methods of artificial reproduction has failed. AI or artificial insemination is the process where the sperm cells from the husband or an anonymous donor are placed within the uterus of female recipient, by using methods other than sexual intercourse, for the purpose of impregnating her. Embryo transplantation is the process where one or more eggs that has been fertilized under in-vitro conditions, is placed within the uterus of a recipient female that carries the embryo to its full term. Thus all the three processes aim to procreate for childless couples and also for gay partners, that is, for all those who fail to have children normally or cannot adopt, due to certain reasons. However, as in all latest techno-medical innovations, here also, there are certain ethical considerations to be made. The concept of having ‘designer babies,’ and opting for embryo sex selection, have all been made possible with advances in the assisted reproductive technology, and these are the very ideas that have come under controversy in the recent times. Religious morals and certain medical ethics have placed these processes under considerable scrutiny, with a debate going on as to whether having children by artificial means is indeed morally or ethically correct. This article will take a look at the three artificial or assisted reproductive technologies, will discuss each procedure, and explore their applications. It will also consider the various ethical and religious sentiments that speak against the procedures, and also scrutinize the various medical benefits of these techniques. This article has taken up a topic that is very interesting, yet extremely controversial too. The main objective of this research is to provide an insight into this subject of artificial reproduction, and try to understand the processes, and the ethical and moral debate behind it all. Body IVF or in-vitro fertilization: It is defined as “the fusion of human reproductive cells in an extra corporeal way” (Peschke, cited in Nabor-Nery, 81). In this process the egg is fertilized outside the ovum under in-vitro conditions within a container, which is tube-shaped, and made of glass or resin. For this very reason babies conceived in this manner are very often referred to as ‘test tube babies.’ The first ‘test tube baby’ to be born was Louise Brown, in 1978, and after her birth “human IVF-ET has evolved to become standard medical practice for the treatment of many types of human fertility” (Wolf, 1). Here the female partner’s ovulation is controlled externally by administering hormones. Once the eggs are ready for fertilization they are collected from the ovary by inserting a needle that is guided by an ultrasound technique to reach the ovaries. Once the needle reaches the ovary it collects the follicular fluid. This fluid is then sent to the lab where around 10-30 eggs are removed. After the eggs are selected, they are prepared for fertilization by removing their surrounding cells. The sperms from the partner or donor cells are then incubated with the prepared egg cells, for about 18-20 hours, with a ratio of sperm cell to egg cell at 75000:1. Once the egg is fertilized it becomes bi nucleate (2 pro-nuclei). The fertilized egg is then transferred to another special medium and kept under observation for about 48 hours, during which the single egg cell becomes multi-cellular in nature (6-8 cells). After the removal of eggs from the ovary within the next two to five days the embryos are replaced within the recipient’s uterus so that she can carry the pregnancy to its full term. Artificial insemination (AI): Artificial insemination, as the very name suggests, is the process of impregnating a female by external methods that are artificial in nature. A definition of AI would be as follows “artificial insemination is an impregnation not by means of natural intercourse, but by means of mechanical, artificial aids such as injecting the semen or sperm directly in to the female sex organ by the use of a tuberculin syringe” (Nabor-Nery, 81). Here the sperms are taken from the husband or male partner, or in absence of a male partner, from a sperm bank. When the sperms are collected from the husband or the male partner it is known as homologous insemination and is also referred to as assisted insemination (AI-H). When the sperms are taken from an unknown donor, it is known as heterologous insemination (AID or AI donor). In this process the woman is closely monitored for her ovulation period, and when she is most likely to conceive, then the freshly ejected sperms from her male partner or husband, or frozen sperms from the sperms bank that has been quarantined and thawed under specific medical conditions, is inserted into the reproductive tract. If the sperms are placed in the cervix, then it is known as intra-cervical insemination or ICI, or if they are placed directly into the uterus of the female recipient then it is known as the intrauterine insemination or IUI. In IUI the sperms have to medically washed, concentrated in a solution of F10 media and warmed, before inserting in the uterus. This process has a better chance of fertilizing the ova, as ‘washing’ the sperms removes the mucus and non motile sperms from the specimen to be used for fertilization. Another technique to improve chances of pregnancy in AI is “the use of super ovulation through hormonal treatment of the woman before intrauterine insemination. Because of the greater likelihood of pregnancy after hormone injections… the combination of superovulation and IUI is becomingly routine … (Lasker and Borg, 33). Once the female recipient is ready to ovulate, the sperms are placed either in the vagina or in the uterus. To place sperms in the vagina a long needless syringe is used. A longer tube known as the ‘tom cat’ is often used along with the syringe if the sperms are to be inserted deeper into the vagina. A cervical cap may also be inserted into the cervix to allow fertilization over a longer period. After the sperms are inserted into the recipient’s body she has to lie down for some time so as to prevent the seepage of sperms. Embryo transplantation: This is a step in the IVF fertilization where one or more embryos are placed within the uterus of a female recipient to establish pregnancy. However, here the eggs from a super ovulated donor female are taken and fertilized with sperm cells in-vitro. After fertilization the embryos are transplanted into body of another female, who is the recipient in this case. Embryo transplantation is mainly done on females who have reproductive problems in producing egg cells, so as to enable them to have children of their own. Applications: All the above three processes aim to help couples who cannot have children biologically, and due to certain problems cannot also opt for adoption. Women who have reproduction related problems, like no ovulation, or malformation of the uterus and cervix, or incompatible vagina, can have children of their own through these medical innovations. Often it has been seen that women who have had their menopause can also bear a child by taking eggs from an egg donor, as the uterus is still capable of bearing a child even after menopause. In such cases though the woman has no so called ‘blood links’ or genetic connection to the child, she will have an emotional connection with the baby, as she carries it through pregnancy and gives birth to it. Often the child that a woman is carrying through embryo transplantation will have genetic links with her husband. Men with reproductive problems like low sperm count (oligospermia) or zero sperm count (asospermia ) and other complications arising out of various medical reasons like diabetes, can also have children through these assisted reproductive processes. Artificial reproduction has also allowed single parents, unwed single women, and partners of the same sex to have children of their own. Ethical issues: Assisted reproduction or artificial reproduction has been in the eye of the storm right from the time of its conception. There are many ethical and moral issues that continually crop up while discussing these medical innovations of the twentieth century. As Smith tells us “ surge of interest and direct involvement with artificial insemination has interposed complicated and presently unsolved legal, social, cultural, religious, emotional, and psychological problems” (Smith, 128). Majority of the problems and ethical issues arise from the context of religious viewpoints. The Roman Catholic Church has taken a strong stand against artificial reproduction, and has dubbed the process as immoral and similar to committing adultery, and thus is detrimental in nature and harmful for the society. This is very evident from a speech of Pope John Paul VI who says that marriage “is based on the inseparable connection, established by God, which man on his own initiative may not break, between the unitive significance and the procreative significance which are both inherent to the marriage act. The reason is that the fundamental nature of the marriage act, while uniting husband and wife in the closest intimacy, also renders them capable of generating new life—and this as a result of laws written into the actual nature of man and of woman. And if each of these essential qualities, the unitive and the procreative, is preserved, the use of marriage fully retains its sense of true mutual love and its ordination to the supreme responsibility of parenthood to which man is called” (Pope john Paul VI, 1968). The main objection that the Church has in this case is that, artificial modes of reproduction deviate from the natural laws of God which unify a man and a woman in marriage to procreate naturally, and to separate the sexual act from procreation is to go against God’s laws. If a married couple cannot have children for some reason, then the Church prescribes that the couple should go for adoption and serve God by taking in a child who is in abject need of love and care. IVF when done with husband’s sperms do not raise much ethical problems. Problems arise when there is a third party anonymous sperm donor in question. It is here that the Church raises its main objection, and labels the whole act as sinful. Besides the ethical considerations, there are often many future legal entanglements which the couple and the child may face later on. When the sperms are taken form a sperm bank, the law identifies the donor as the natural father, yet he has to remain anonymous because of various other legal reasons, while the papers will have the name of the woman’s husband as the father. Such a complicated situation may create future legal problems for the child when he becomes an adult. There may also be psychological problems leading to non-connection between the father and the child, when the child is conceived from a third party donor sperms, and bears no biological connection with the non-donor father. The wife may also see no physical connection between the child and the father, leading to marital problems later on. Since the sperm donor remains anonymous there may be chances that marriages may occur, unknowingly, between the children from the same sperm donor, or even between the sperm donor father and the daughter. As Ploscowe remarks, “The incest taboo is one of the strongest in our society. There can be little doubt that the increasing production of children by means of artificial insemination from unknown donors enhances the possibilities of incestuous marriages and incestuous relationships” (Ploscowe, 1238-41). Besides some social scientists fear that people who go in for assisted reproduction may try to go in for sex selection via the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Another fear is that parents may start choosing ‘designer babies’ opting for the best possible genes for their child. Artificial reproduction may also be used commercially for producing ‘perfect organ donor’ children. Conclusion Artificial reproduction is a modern technological innovation that has brought many revolutionary changes in the field of medical sciences. Artificial reproduction involves creating new lives, and this makes the scientist who is involved in this process, to have an aura like that of the Creator himself, where he helps in the process of procreation. It is for this very reason religion forbids man to procreate life under his own terms and conditions. The scientist who is working in this line should know where and when to draw the line, or we may see in real lives what we just read in fictional books like George Orwell’s “1984,” where the only method that the so called ‘Community Development’ allowed people to have babies, was by artificial reproduction, that were suitable for the State and its ideologies. If one crosses the line once too often, the movie “Boys from Brazil,” where the neo-Nazis procreate 94 sons of Hitler from the latter’s frozen sperms, may not also remain a science fiction anymore, with distinct future possibilities. On the other hand these very processes of artificial reproduction have also brought in hope and happiness for couples who have remained childless for a long time, and yet wish to have a baby of their own. Couples with reproductive troubles and infertility problems can now look forward to becoming proud parents. Keeping all religious, ethical, moral and legal debates aside, if one can look at the benefits that these processes have brought about, then there is no doubt that artificial reproduction is indeed a blessing in disguise. It is only that one has to tread a little carefully and be wary as to where to draw the final lines. As in almost all modern day innovations this process also has come both with its own drawbacks and strong points. It is in the hands of the person who is doing it, and it is he who has to be responsible enough to use it in a proper manner, so that the entire process ultimately serves to benefit mankind as a whole. Works Cited Lasker, J and Borg, S. In search of parenthood: coping with infertility and high-tech Conception. Philadelphia : Temple University Press, 1994. Print. Nabor-Nery, M. Ethics. Quezon City: Goodwill Trading Co., Inc., 2003. Print. Ploscowe. The Place of Law in Medico-Moral Problems: A Legal View II, 31 N.Y.U. L. REv. 1238- 1243,1956. Print. Pope John Paul VI .Encyclical letter humanae vitae of the supreme pontiff. 1968. Web. 14th march 2010. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p- vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html Smith, G. Through a test tube darkly: artificial insemination and the law. Jan 2009. Web. 11th March 2010. http://faculty.law.miami.edu/mcoombs/documents/Smith.AIHistory.Eugenics.pdf Wolf, D. In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer: a manual of basic techniques. New York: Springer, 1988. Print. Read More