ABSTRACT
The article surveys the ethical and social issues that arise from recent developments
in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) involving cryotechnology and argues that
practitioners must understand ethical as well as technological issues. It discusses
the risks associated with ART and the importance of the need to inform patients of
them so that they can make considered decisions. It considers problematic areas in
the use of ART, particularly the case of lesbian women who wish to conceive. It offers
a philosophical definition of ethics and a framework for defining ethical, and unethical,
clinical practice. It advocates a utilitarian approach to moral problems, one that
attends to the moral consequences of actions. It examines the complex way that morality,
law, and ethics interact and refers to controversial legal decisions in the United
Kingdom concerning ART. This article considers the various rights (of donors, prospective
parents, and offspring) that need to be taken into account by practitioners of ART.
KEYWORD
Morality - law - rights - autonomy - consent - cryoethics - reproduction - cryotechnology