title: Ethical and legal aspects of in-vitro fertilization and artificial insemination by donor.
abstract: All areas of medical practice are shaped by ethical and legal mandates. When a physician provides infertility services, however, ethical and legal concerns reach an even greater prominence. The infertility specialist is in the awesome role of facilitating the creation of new life. A task of that level of importance brings with it responsibilities of an equal magnitude. Clinicians performing in-vitro fertilization and artificial insemination should be especially sensitive to the ethical and legal concerns raised by the selection of patients and donors, the informed consent process, and record-keeping. As reproductive technologies such as these develop, the clinician not only has a duty to monitor their safety and efficacy, but also to provide extensive information to the participants and to society at large to make possible informed decisions about how best to enhance the benefits and avoid the risks of these new technologies.
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D030881:Disclosure; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007315:Insemination, Artificial; D007316:Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D018579:Patient Selection; D011247:Pregnancy; D013094:Spermatozoa; D018454:Spouses; D014481:United States