ESHRE Task Force on Ethics and Law 13: the welfare of the child in medically assisted reproduction

The analysis of the welfare of the child in the context of medically assisted reproduction is divided in two parts: the first part addresses the risks associated with the would-be parent(s), the second part focuses on possible risks inherent in the technologies and treatments themselves. The risk factors connected with the intended parents may be medical and psychosocial. Two important considerations are raised here: the necessity to avoid discrimination and respect for the privacy of the patients. The second part concerns the ethical questions involved in the rapid dissemination of new technologies in assisted conception. Technology and research must always be subordinate to the welfare of the future offspring. The different steps involved in the responsible application of medical technologies to treat infertility are analysed.