Ethical Issues in Assisted Conception

Introduction: The overall principles that inform any discussion of medical ethics include respect for the autonomy of the patient, together with the concepts of beneficence and justice. Respect for our patient’s autonomy obliges us to ensure that those giving consent to treatment are fully informed and that confidentiality of their consultations is guaranteed. Beneficence involves considering the welfare of others and doing no harm. The problem, of course, is whose welfare we are talking about. For example, can zygotes and pre-embryos enjoy benefit or suffer harm? It is commonplace in infertility practice to place the physical harm risked by a potential mother against the psychological benefit that a successful outcome of treatment will bring to the couple, so we also have to think about the relative weight we apply to such benefit and harm.