Legal and ethical aspects of new reproductive technologies; the case of prenatal diagnosis.
The introduction of new reproductive technologies raises numerous legal and ethical questions. Answering these questions requires conceptual clarity about the nature and scope of women's and parental rights, the implications of these techniques for the dignity and rights of the unborn and the responsibility of the state as well as the medical profession in preserving the proper use of these techniques. One of the technologies that requires scrupulous consideration is the technique of prenatal diagnosis. In this essay an effort is made to explore the meaning of the main rights and interests at stake, to assess the (potential) benefits and hazards of prenatal diagnosis for both women/couples and unborn children, and to identify some criteria that could serve as a yardstick to measure the permissible use of this technique.
Hendriks
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Section of Health Law, University of Amsterdam.
D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D006806:Human Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D010290:Parents; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012099:Reproductive Techniques / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012941:Social Responsibility; D014933:Women's Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence