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In Vitro Fertilisation: The Science and the Ethics in the 21st Century

Abstract One in six couples suffers from infertility for reasons that range from blocked or damaged fallopian tubes to problems with sperm or ova production. Because of the prevalence and distress of these reproductive problems many researchers have taken up the challenge of trying to find a treatment for sterility. One of the greatest advances was made in 1978 when scientists Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards developed In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). Their breakthrough was provided by the first successful birth from a previously infertile couple. Since then, new advances in the procedure have rapidly developed and today treatments such as ICSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection) and Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) are greatly increasing the reproductive possibilities available to infertile patients. Moreover, the success rates of IVF itself are improving as well as providing the possibility of genetically selecting embryos. However, because of the scientific nature of the technique, IVF has created new and complex ethical issues relating to natural law, multiple births, costs and success rates which are becoming prominent topics in public debates.