As3 Revision Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is infertility?
When a couple is unable to have a baby naturally.
What are the alternatives to infertility?
In vitro fertilisation (IVF)
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) / Artificial insemination (AI)
Surrogacy
What is IVF?
When egg is fertilised outside of woman’s body as egg is fertilised with sperm in Peter dish. Embryo then returned to woman’s womb where it will grow and develop.
What is IUI by partner/husband?
Husband or male partner has healthy sperm but has low sperm count. Sperm collected and using syringe, introduced into woman’s uterus to fertilise egg.
What is IUI by donor?
Husband or partner’s sperm is not healthy, has no sperm count or woman does not have a male partner. Uses same process as IUI by partner.
What is surrogacy?
Woman unable to carry a pregnancy to full term herself, so another woman becomes pregnant, carries and gives birth to baby for someone who wants a child. Egg can be surrogates’ or is pregnant with baby she is not genetically related to.
What is embryo experimentation?
Embryos produced for experimentation in labs which have to be destroyed after 14 days use.
Why is embryo experimentation viewed as being morally wrong?
Devalues dignity of human life as from moment of conception, embryos are viewed as being equal humans and so destroying them after 14 days is seen murder.
It is unacceptable to create embryos solely for research purposes as adult stem cells and umbilical cord blood cells can also be used and do not suffer from the same ethical issues.
Embryos are expected to be defended and treated with respect like any other human beings and shouldn’t be experimented on unless it is to benefit of embryo.
What are the Catholic Church views on embryo experimentation?
Life begins at conception and so embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, like any other human being.
Others are in favour of embryo research up to 14 days but do not agree with creating embryos solely for research.
Some accept spare embryos from IVF can be used for research.
What are the Church of England views on Embryo experimentation?
Affirm sanctity of human embryo and need to treat it with profound respect.
Accept that under certain circumstances, embryo research may be permissible as long as intention is to alleviate human suffering, if there is no viable alternative method available, all embryos treated with respect and not permitted to develop beyond 14 day limit.
What are the Church of Ireland views on embryo experimentation?
Not comfortable with use of embryos for research as it does not benefit embryo.
Unacceptable to create embryos for research with intention of destroying it.
Believe research into use of adult stem cells and umbilical for blood cells should be given much higher priority.
What are the benefits of embryo experimentation?
Increases knowledge and helps to understand ourselves better by teaching how we are created and why some people are born with genetic diseases.
Allows scientists to help people suffering from genetic diseases through altering or replacing genes in genetic engineering.
Allows people who are unable to have children naturally to start their own family.
What is the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority?
Organisation that regulates and controls fertility treatment anywhere in the world.
What does the HFEA provide?
Information on:
Fertility treatments
Egg freezing
Donating eggs or sperm
Researching clinics
Donors and genetic siblings
Costs and funding
What information does the HFEA provide on fertility treatments?
From fertility drugs to IVF; using donated eggs: sperm and embryos; risks of treatment; having treatment abroad.
What information does the HFEA provide on egg freezing?
How process works, success rates and risks.
Egg freezing is way of preserving a woman’s fertility so she can try and have children when older.
What information does the HFEA provide on donating eggs or sperm?
How to donate eggs, sperm or embryos; how existing donors can get information.
Every year 2000 babies conceived with help of donor.
Without donor, many couple would be unable to have a family.
What information does the HFEA provide on researching clinics?
How to choose a clinic, prepare for appointment and what to do if something goes wrong.
Great clinic is one with compassionate staff, clear pricing, easy administrative processes and exceptional emotional support.
What information does the HFEA provide on donors and genetic siblings?
Donor-conceived people and their parents can apply for information on donor and donor-conceived siblings.
HFEA collects info from people who donate at licensed fertility clinics.
What information does the HFEA provide on costs and funding?
Two fertility treatment options:
Pay for it yourself.
Eligibility on NHS.
Why is the HFEA needed?
Way that people conceived with donor can learn more about their genetic origins.
To regulate research using human embryos, as embryos created for research cannot be implanted into womb and must be destroyed after 14 days.
To make sure fertile clinics and research centres follow law to ensure high-quality care and research.
Makes decisions that are central to 2am fertility clinics and research centres work.
What are the Christian beliefs about surrogacy?
Some Christian’s are uncomfortable as consider surrogate mother as third parent involved in family planning as form of adultery.
Many view children should be created within the bonds of marriage relationship. It breaks beliefs that marriage is exclusive.
View surrogate mother as parent of child and so they are abandoning parental responsibilities by handing them over, contrasting with beliefs about family where parents are expected to teach and raise children to live like Jesus.
Believe if surrogacy is to take place, it should be with married couple’s egg and sperm to avoid adultery.
Have we gone too far with IVF?
Yes as designer babies can be created where parents can choose to alter DNA of embryo which is unethical as only God should have the power to decide how people are created. God planned our lives before birth: “I chose you before I gave you life”.
Three-parent IVF permanently changes DNA of child and is seen as adultery as marriage should be exclusive and involve only two people to create life.
Spare embryos created during IVF is unethical as are either destroyed or frozen which denies people chance of life as aren’t allowed to develop fully and treated as product or commodity.
Does everyone have the right to have a child?
For:
Yes as ability to have children is using our gifts and talents given to us by God and so everyone should be allowed to utilise these gifts to the fullest without restriction.
Biblical teaching on marriage states that both partners should be open to having children so all married couples have the right to have children.
Story of Sarah and Abraham being granted child by God shows that people such as single women or gay couples can have children through IVF as God has granted it.
Against:
If a couple are unable to conceive the they should accept that as God’s will for them and should not seek and IVF or surrogacy as it would be deemed as playing God.
If woman has medical risks of having pregnancy naturally or an IVF then should not have children as could cause child to be born with genetic condition and suffer from low quality of life which is immoral.
Certain people such as gay couples or single women may not have right as it is unnatural and breaks sanctity of marriage that children should created during moment of love between married couple. They should look into adoption or fostering as an alternative to have a child.
