6ñArtificial insemination has given humankind powers that could lead to serious moral problems.ñ
Could the reproduction of human beings become independent of sex? Couples can now have children even if they are unable to conceive naturally, using ºin vitroº (test-tube) fertilization. Experiments conducted in Britain on embryos have made it possible to select the sex of a child. In the future, it will be possible to select other features also, raising sensitive ethical problems. The success rate of ºin vitroº fertilization is improving as techniques are becoming more sophisticated.
ºIn vitroº fertilization offers a number of different possibilities. For example, if the future father's sperm is deficient, another man's sperm may be used. The same is true for ova. If a woman's uterus can no longer carry out its function, a "surrogate mother" can be used, who "loans" her uterus to receive the couples' embryo and carry it until birth. These techniques are transforming attitudes toward procreation. Paradoxical situations have occurred as a result, such as a woman conceiving a child with the frozen sperm of a deceased man. It is too early to assess the psychological effects of artificial insemination methods on the child and the family.
~Embryo research~
Biologists are pursuing a long-held dream of understanding the development mechanisms of the embryo. They are inspired by pure scientific curiosity, but also hope that they will one day be able to prevent the malformations that can occur during an embryo's growth. Numerous discoveries made on the basis of experiments on insects and animals are beginning to provide explanations of this highly complex process that creates individuals with extremely varied tissues from a simple fertilized egg. It is not yet known how cells are differentiated. Further understanding of these phenomena will open up new possibilities in combating cancer, which is caused mainly by irregular cell division. Research in this field is limited to animals, because the professional code of ethics and the law prohibit experimentation on human embryos.ì j ╦ ⌡⌡⌡
