The Story of ART

I've tried tracking down the couples, but they must have moved. Can I give them to other couples in a prenatal adoption? Or should I just terminate them?" There are thousands of thousands left-over IVF embryos in deep freeze in each country of the developed world. Many r couples decide to keep their frozen embryos 'just in case' - although most clinics put a limit on the number of years they will keep the embryos before disposing of them. Most IVF clinics will send an annual reminder letter to patients who have frozen embryos stored. The letter usually offer a couple five choices and these are continue storage for a further period of time, arrange for embryo transfer treatment cycle before the expiry date, allow embryos to perish by interfering with the thawing process, donate embryos to ethically approved research or donate embryos to infertile couples. Another ethical problem involves the decision as to whom do the embryos belong if the parents of those embryos divorce .

Another concept then emerged -Free IVF Treatment. A usually older more well-off couple could pay for another usually younger couple who can produce better embryos. In return, the younger couple donates their embryos to the paying couple an both are happy.

What are the physical and psychosocial consequences of all this on a child? What is the impact on familial and societal relations? Then we started discussing cloning of child. What will be the potential effects on the human gene pool? Is it through the secure and recognized relationship to his own parents that the child can discover his own identity and achieve his own proper human development. Does heterologous artificial fertilisation conform to the dignity of the couple? Or does it cause disorder and injustice in the whole of social life.

In conclusion, couple must consider the financial, emotional and psychological cost prior to embarking on ART especially if it does not work. They need to think about what should be done with any left over embryos.

Maybe this could this be the dark side of ART. Maybe the exercise of uninhibited choice in the satisfaction of desire is a defining characteristic of western society today. As Albert Einstein said “There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle and the other one is though everything is a miracle”.

We shall all observe closely as to how this story shall continue…