IVF

  • Read more: Silver Spoons and Golden Genes: Designing Inequality?
    Article

    Silver Spoons and Golden Genes: Designing Inequality?

    A recent web series sparked controversy with the headline that “Designer babies aren’t futuristic. They’re already here.” The online articles make the case that disparate access to frozen embryo screening for debilitating diseases—sickle cell anemia, Tay-Sachs, or cystic fibrosis—is “designing inequality into our genes.” The authors are right that reproductive technology isn’t open to everyone….

    hand with a pencil drawing on DNA results
  • Read more: Personhood Measures in the 2014 Election Cycle
    Article

    Personhood Measures in the 2014 Election Cycle

    By Jonathan F. Will [Cross-posted at The Conversation] Citizens of three states had the opportunity to vote on measures considered by many to be adverse to abortion rights during the November 2014 election cycle.  While the personhood efforts in Colorado and North Dakota failed, the Tennessee electorate approved an amendment making clear that their state…

  • Read more: Why Did Egg Freezing Wait So Long?
    Article

    Why Did Egg Freezing Wait So Long?

    [Cross-posted from Concurring Opinions] By Gaia Bernstein Egg freezing has become the new hot trend in the infertility industry. Although infertility practitioners first used egg freezing in the mid 1980s, it was only recently that success rates have significantly risen making this an attractive option for women.  A woman can now freeze her eggs at any…

  • Read more: Using Tissue Samples to Make Genetic Offspring after Death
    Article

    Using Tissue Samples to Make Genetic Offspring after Death

    By Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo Last month, John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka were jointly awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Medicine for their research on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).  iPSCs are capturing the public imagination as embryonic stem cells did fifteen years ago, but without the controversy surrounding the destruction of embryos: iPSCs can be…

  • Read more: Raffles for IVF Access?
    Article

    Raffles for IVF Access?

    By Nir Eyal As the New York Times reports (quoting me on the ethics), some American IVF clinics are now running raffles where the prize is IVF services. The contests give clinics publicity and sometimes serve charitable causes. Are IVF raffles unethical? Should we ban them? Gambles and contests over the ability to have babies…