An Ethical Analysis of Assisted Reproduction Providers’ Websites in Pakistan

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) and reproductive genetic technologies (RGTs) are intertwined and coevolving. These technologies are increasingly used to fulfill socially and culturally framed requests, for example, “family balancing,” or to enable postmenopausal women or homosexual couples...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Irshad, Ayesha (Author) ; Werner-Felmayer, Gabriele (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Cambridge Univ. Press 2016
In: Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics
Year: 2016, Volume: 25, Issue: 3, Pages: 497-504
Further subjects:B assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs)
B Pakistan
B reproductive genetic technologies (RGTs)
B reproductive clinics
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Summary:Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) and reproductive genetic technologies (RGTs) are intertwined and coevolving. These technologies are increasingly used to fulfill socially and culturally framed requests, for example, “family balancing,” or to enable postmenopausal women or homosexual couples to have genetically linked children. The areas of ART and RGT are replete with ethical issues, because different social practices and legal regulations, as well as economic inequalities within and among countries, create vulnerable groups and, therefore, the potential for exploitation. This article provides an overview of the ART and RGT landscape in Pakistan and analyzes the available online content addressing Pakistani citizens and international clients. We explored the topic in view of socioeconomic challenges in Pakistan, particularly deeply rooted poverty, lack of education, gender discrimination, and absence of regulation. As online information given by ART and RGT providers is readily available and could easily raise false hopes, make use of discriminatory statements with regard to women, and promote gender selection to meet sociocultural expectations, it should be subjected to quality control.
ISSN:1469-2147
Contains:Enthalten in: Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1017/S0963180116000141