The Moral Significance of Abortion Inconsistency Arguments

Most opponents of abortion (OA) believe fetuses matter. Critics argue that OA act inconsistently with regards to fetal life, seeking to restrict access to induced abortion, but largely ignoring spontaneous abortion and the creation of surplus embryos by IVF. Nicholas Colgrove, Bruce Blackshaw, and Daniel Rodger call such arguments inconsistency arguments and contend they do not matter. They present three objections to these arguments - the other beliefs, other actions, and hypocrisy objection. Previously, I argued these objections fail and threaten to undermine ethical inquiry. Colgrove et al. have recently replied, but here, I argue their reply fails as well and raises a new criticism of the other actions' objection. This essay sets out to show, as well as any philosophical argument can, that inconsistency arguments are morally significant.

New Zealand Policy on Frozen Embryo Disputes

Disputes between separated couples over whether frozen embryos can be used in an attempt to create a child create a moral dilemma for public policy. When a couple create embryos intending to parent any resulting children, New Zealand's current policy requires the consent of both people at every stage of the ART process. New Zealand's Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology has proposed a policy change that would give ex-partners involved in an embryo dispute twelve months to come to an agreement before the embryos are destroyed. New Zealand's current policy and the proposed policy both favour the person who wishes to avoid procreation. Two alternative policy approaches that do not favour procreative avoidance are considered. Using pre-fertilisation contracts to determine the decision reached in embryo disputes allows the couple's wishes at the time the embryos are created to determine what happens to the embryos if they separate. However, pre-fertilisation contracts are agreements about healthcare and personal relationships, and changing circumstances can make enforcing such agreements unjust. Finally, it is argued that New Zealand's Family Court system should be used to reach decisions that balance the interests of those involved in the dispute.

Evaluation of the effect of the elective blastocyst-stage embryo transfer and freezing strategy on the abandonment of frozen embryos under the Taiwan National Assisted Reproduction Act

Purpose

To evaluate the relationship between elective blastocyst transfer, freezing strategy, and the abandonment of frozen embryos with a storage time limit of 10 years as specified in the National Assisted Reproduction Act of Taiwan.

Methods

This two-phase retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single tertiary center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (KCGMH), in 2019. Participants were selected from a data registry containing 4167 fresh IVF cycles, including phase 1 cycles from 1999 to 2009 and phase 2 cycles from 2010 to 2014, at KCGMH.

Results

In phase 1, embryo abandonment was associated with the production of more mature oocytes and embryos, the freezing of more embryos, young female age, blastocyst transfer, and positive pregnancy results. After adjustment for confounding factors, only positive pregnancy results (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.17, 6.04), the freezing of ≥ 2 embryos (aOR 3.68, 95% CI 3.10, 4.38), the production of ≥ 6 embryos (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.03, 2.73), and the use blastocyst transfer (aOR 2.46, 95% CI 1.64, 3.69) remained significantly associated with embryo abandonment. The factors associated with embryo abandonment or possible abandonment were similar in phase 2.

Conclusion

For elective blastocyst stage transfer and a freezing strategy performed according to the Taiwan National Assisted Reproduction Act, a young female age ≤ 35 with positive pregnancy status due to the original IVF treatment, the production of ≥ 6 embryos, and the cryopreservation of ≥ 2 blastocysts may increase the likelihood of abandoning embryos in the future.

[Between "pragmatic" interpretation and "disturbing" understanding: Embryonic cryopreservation for IVF patients]

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this article is to question the feeling of IVF patients towards embryonic cryopreservation, in order to understand their potential reluctance to freeze embryos and their difficulties to consider the fate of their frozen embryos once their parental project completed.

METHODS

Twenty-seven semi-directive interviews with homologous IVF patients were conducted. These persons were followed in two fertility centres in Marseille.

RESULTS

If all the patients interviewed have accepted embryonic cryopreservation or have accepted on principle, a majority have an ambivalent attitude towards this technique. If some share the "pragmatic" vision of professionals (embryologists, technicians and gynaecologists), they are numerous to worry about a possible deterioration of embryonic quality, or again about a disrupted order of generation. Finally, it appears that patients do not anticipate the possible fate of their frozen embryos if they are uninscribed from their parental project.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients are mainly ambivalent towards embryonic cryopreservation. They prioritize different rationality depending on the situations and issues they are dealing with.