title: Embryo dignity: the status and juridical protection of the in vitro embryo.
abstract: In the context of research and reproduction, the status of the human in vitro embryo ranges from being regarded as a person to being regarded as mere property. As regards the first view, one extreme of the spectrum for offering possible legal protection considers that the embryo constitutes a legal person from the moment of conception. For opponents of this view life is a continuum that runs from conception until death. In this process one of the most important stages is birth, the reason being that birth represents the transition between a potential person and a person. The term "embryo" is used to express the being that exists after fusion of the egg and a spermatozoon during the process of embryogenesis until it reaches eight weeks, after which time it is termed a foetus. The embryo's life is recognized as a constitutional value which deserves juridical protection, but not as a person. It only becomes a person with birth.
authors.affiliation: Law Faculty, Centre of Biomedical Law, Coimbra University, Spain.
authors.forename: Vera Lúcia
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Raposo
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Osuna
mesh_terms: D033421:Beginning of Human Life; D019924:Embryo Disposition / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D033041:Embryo Research / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D010067:Ownership / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D028723:Personhood