ABSTRACT

The past 10 years have witnessed the development of new reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), embryo transfer, embryo freezing, prenatal screening, and artificial insemination, all of which have profound potential for affecting women's lives. In this chapter, we examine further some of the common and unifying themes of the preceding chapters and analyze the medical, ethical, and legal ramifications of the new reproductive technologies. As we have seen, these technologies are controversial because they touch upon issues of sexuality, genetics, parenting, and the family. They often probe the very limits of biology and demand decisions about complex matters of life and death, thus stirring up emotions and provoking debate about issues that in the past were determined biologically. In addition, they raise questions about the social control of science and technology and about the limits of state intervention in the lives of individuals.