¶ … Astrue v. Capato, the Supreme Court ruled that children conceived posthumously -- that is, through in vitro fertilization after the biological parent is deceased -- are not entitled to the same rights and privileges as children born while that parent is alive. The case refers specifically to the Social Security Act, which provides for the common welfare by establishing a system whereby children may be listed as dependents on their parents. Children who are born to parents during the course of the parent's lifetime, even if conceived via in vitro fertilization, are entitled to the parent's Social Security Benefits as well as to inheritance. However, in Astrue v. Capato, the court ruled that children conceived via in vitro fertilization after the biological parent has died are not classified as "dependents" or as heirs under the law. The decision has serious ramifications for health care workers who deal with cases that are similar to this one. Although not expressly about the ethics of in vitro fertilization itself, Astrue v. Capato does raise important questions for health care workers. To discuss some of the ramifications and ethical issues in Astrue v. Capato, I interviewed a hospital administrator with over fifteen years of experience. The administrator...
Capato. The administrator admitted to following the case closely when it was pending, and indicated that she was not surprised at the decision but would have preferred to see more decisive action on the part of her colleagues in terms of ensuring the rights of children born in situations like these. When asked about her worldview, the administrator paused and said, "I believe in equality, freedom, and justice. My worldview is constantly changing. I am open minded." When asked to articulate her nursing philosophy and philosophy regarding technologies like in vitro fertilization, the administrator said that in vitro is the mother's right, and did not see why the children born via in vitro fertilization should be treated differently. The administrator admits that she often finds herself pulled in two different directions, as the needs of healthcare workers and the patients they represent sometimes clash with the needs of insurance companies. The administrator suggested the Astrue v. Caputo case raises more ethical questions related to the health care system and how it dehumanizes patients, than it does…
Vitro' fertilization is one of the applications of advanced technology that provides a solution to infertility among couples. The practice has long been in existence, and many referred to offspring of couples who have undergone this process, 'test tube babies.' In vitro ('in glass') fertilization is only one of the many treatments for infertility. The general term by which in vitro can be identified is through artificial insemination, wherein semen
In-Vitro Fertilization One of the most remarkable medical discoveries of the 20th century is in-vitro fertilization, a technique developed and used to conceive a human embryo outside of the mother's body. In-vitro fertilization was originally devised for use in cases of infertility, i.e., where the woman's fallopian tubes were damaged or the man's sperm count was low. However, in recent years, the use of in-vitro fertilization has been expanded to include
In Vitro Fertilization: A Question of Ethical and Spiritual Morality In vitro fertilization is a common reproductive procedure that generally falls under the scope of biotechnology. It is a process that is condemned by the Catholic church and often criticized by lawyers and ethicist despite the number of live births that result from the procedure Despite this condemnation, there are hundreds of thousands of individuals that partake in IVF procedures every year, in
In Vitro Fertilization This is a paper that outlines the morality issue behind in vitro fertilization. It has 12 sources. As scientific progress advances more rapidly than the ability of mankind to assimilate and comprehend its influence on life concerns, fields such as Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) are turning heretofore basic issues like procreation into complex ethical and moral dilemmas. In 1978, with the birth of Louise Brown, the first child conceived through
Secondary risk factors are high E2 serum levels or rising levels, more than 20-25 follicles in both ovaries, the number of eggs retrieved, stimulation agents used, hCG administration, and pregnancy. Younger women are more prone to the syndrome as they are more responsive to gonadotropins and have more follicles than older women. Findings suggested that a lower body mass index carries a risk. Women with PCOS are more sensitive
This might be the case for an idnivdual that suffers from severe mental retardation or some type of brain injury that prohibits the person from making common sense and logical decisions. Why should this person/couple not be allowed IVF? If they don't have the mental capability to care for themselves or make good decisions, they will not be able to make good decisions and care for a baby. Caring
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