Reproduction Reconceived; How correcting our definition of ‘reproduction’ triggers profound changes in the way we frame ART access
Georgina Hall1, The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne 1The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Abstract
The predominant position in the reproductive rights literature argues that access to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) forms part of the reproductive right. On this reasoning, refusal of treatment by clinicians violates a hopeful parent’s reproductive right and discriminates against the infertile. In this presentation I suggest this is a flawed view and demonstrate that the position wrongly contorts what reproductive freedom entitles individuals to do and to demand of others. I suggest this misconception finds its origin, at least in part, in the way ‘reproduction’ itself is defined.
I start by critically analysing two widely accepted definitions of human reproduction and demonstrate both are fundamentally flawed; while the process of reproduction includes the biological acts of ‘begetting’ and ‘bearing’ a child, I argue that it does not extend to include ‘rearing’.
Changing the very definition of reproduction has little impact in the realm of sexual reproduction. However, its ethical implications are significant for the formulation and assignment of reproductive rights and responsibilities in the non-sexual realm in two important ways:
-Claims to access ART where one has an intention to rear a child (but does not beget or bear) cannot be grounded in reproductive rights.
-Lacking an intention to rear does not extinguish moral responsibilities generated for all who collaborate in reproduction.
I demonstrate that clinicians collaborate in non-sexual reproduction at the point of triggering conception (begetting) and therefore have the right to refuse to be involved in non-sexual reproduction, in some instances, as do all reproductive collaborators.
Biography
Dr Georgina Hall PhD is a bioethicist who currently works in paediatric clinical ethics in a research and education role at the Children’s Bioethics Centre, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. She likes to think of herself as a ‘reformed’ journalist who trained in Bioethics (MBioeth, Monash University, PhD Bioeth University of Melbourne) and communications (BAJourn, RMIT). Georgina has been involved with the Centre since its inception in 2008 as a founding member. She oversees the development and delivery of a wide range of traditional and innovative education and training programs within the Centre, aimed at advancing the ethical literacy of all hospital staff and include producing e-Learning modules, podcasts, maintaining the Bioethics library and developing a curated collection of bioethics resources available at the Centre. She is a member of the RCH Clinical Ethics Response Group. Her research interests include reproductive ethics, moral theory and shared decision making in paediatrics, and is currently co-editing a book “Deciding with Children’ with colleagues at the RCH.