Third party assisted conception: an African perspective

The central importance of reproduction in all human cultures has given rise to many methods and techniques of assisting reproduction or overcoming infertility. Such methods and techniques have achieved spectacular successes in the Western world, where processes like in vitro fertilization (IVF) constitute a remarkable breakthrough. In this paper, the author attempts to reflect critically on assisted reproduction technologies (ART) from the background and perspective of African culture, a culture within which human reproduction is given the highest priority but which also exhibits a highly ambivalent attitude to modern technology-assisted methods of reproduction. The author considers the ethical crux of reproductive technologies to be linked to the issue of the moral status of the human embryo and argues that a morally significant line of demarcation cannot be drawn between embryos and other categories of humans.     

Infertility treatment for postmenopausal patients: an equity-based approach

This article examines two questions pertaining to the extension of infertility treatment to postmenopausal women. First, what concepts and principles of infertility practice apply to assisted reproduction for the postmenopausal patient? Second, what role should these concepts play in the development of an ethical justification for extending women's reproductive lives past the menopausal boundary? The argument offered here supports their claim to infertility services on the basis of the formal principle of justice, which requires that similar cases be treated similarly. The cases of many postmenopausal patients are argued to be relevantly similar to classes of patients who already receive assistance in reproduction.     

The journey of gestational surrogacy: religion,spirituality and assisted reproductive technologies

This article discusses the intersection of women’s experiences with the assisted reproductive technological practice of gestational surrogacy and spirituality and religion. During the interviews of eight gestational surrogates themes of spirituality-, religion- and faith-based language emerged as these women shared their narratives of assisted reproductive technologies in this Canadian study. Professionals supporting women before, during and after the experience of gestational surrogacy need to be mindful of the significance of spirituality and religion in third party reproduction practices for many women. In discussing these topics with gestational surrogates counsellors, child and youth care practitioners, faith leaders, social workers, and educators need to remain open and attentive to a multiplicity of diverse theological negotiations.     

Psychosocial discontinuities introduced by the new reproductive technologies

The introduction of the new reproductive technologies has brought about a separation of the experience of reproduction from a previously necessary act of sexual intercourse between a fertile male and a fertile female. This has brought in its train the need for new ways of thinking about the relationship between procreation, reproduction and parenting. Psychosocial research into child–parent, male–female and kin relationships resulting from the use of the new reproductive technologies has value both in terms of its own intrinsic interest and also in terms of insights provided into what has been traditionally portrayed as the ‘normal’ reproductive process. This contribution to the Special Issue serves as a general introduction to the topic by presenting a ‘discontinuity’ model intended to provide a context in which psychosocial research into the provision and use of the new reproductive technologies could be explored. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On Procreative Responsibility in Assisted and Collaborative Reproduction

It is common practice to regard participants in assisted and collaborative reproduction (gamete donors, embryologists, fertility doctors, etc.) as simply providing a desired biological product or medical service. These agents are not procreators in the ordinary sense, nor do they stand in any kind of meaningful parental relation to the resulting offspring. This paper challenges the common view by defending a principle of procreative responsibility and then demonstrating that this standard applies as much to those who provide reproductive assistance in the form of medical services or gametes, as it does to coital reproducers or intending parents. Drawing on vocabulary from the common law tradition, I suggest that it may be helpful to refer to the various participants in assisted and collaborative reproduction (ACR) as accessories to procreation. Referring to the participants in ACR as accessories to procreation highlights the fact that these agents are not just providing medical services or products. They are participating in a supply chain designed to bring about new persons. I conclude by arguing that regulative standards in the fertility industry should be structured such that they permit, facilitate, and encourage agents to satisfy the requirements of procreative responsibility.     

Ethical and Religious Aspects of Gamete and Embryo Donation and Legislation in Iran

During recent decades, new assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have improved significantly, but their ethical, social, psychological, religious and legal aspects are blurred and need further research. New techniques using donor sperm or egg allow for third party involvement in the procreation process, which has created new hope for infertile couples. The corresponding clinical applications also raise new religious questions, which require appropriate interpretation in order to make their use possible, particularly in religious communities. In this paper, we discuss the most important ethical issues and the Islamic view of third party reproduction. Likewise, the current method of third party reproduction in Iran will be described, and the advantages and disadvantages of the Act of Embryo Donation to Infertile Spouses will be stated. Consideration of this outlook could generate inspiration in many Islamic countries.     

Current and future issues in assisted reproduction.

The last quarter of the twentieth century has given rise to reproductive technologies and arrangements that in the earlier part of the century could only be dreamed of by the authors of science fiction. We stand in the middle of this reproductive revolution, trying to cope with the developments that have already occurred but with an uneasy sense that the future may be even more complicated ethically than the past and the present. In this brief essay, I will survey recent ethical and public-policy discussions of two reproductive techniques (assisted insemination and in vitro fertilization) and one reproductive arrangement (surrogate motherhood). After distinguishing three phases in the normative debate, I will briefly comment on some of the characteristics of, and continuing ambiguities in, the ethical debate of the past 25 years. At the conclusion of the essay, I will attempt to anticipate three future issues in ethics and reproduction.     

PSYCHOANALYSIS AND INFERTILITY MYTHS AND REALITIES

Psychoanalysis, long interested in infertility, and a valuable treatment for men and women suffering with this affliction, has also helped to create and support a myth of psychogenic infertility. Multiple causes of infertility exist across the physiological - psychological spectrum. There is no simple psychodynamic causality. Advances in assisted reproductive technologies provide treatments that create emotional stress and outpace psychological preparedness of patients and analysts. This paper is based on the experience of a unique study group in Boston. An analytic case illustrates some of the ways analysis can be a treatment of choice for people using assisted reproduction. In fact, analysis offers a unique opportunity to elaborate fully the complex realities and dilemmas faced by people and their therapists throughout the infertility experience. More generally, this study of the concept of psychogenic infertility explores a valuable role for psychoanalysis in the treatment of medical conditions.     

台湾人工生殖技术管制之回顾与前瞻

台湾地区人工生殖技术的管制先后经历了道德管制和行政管制两个阶段,目前正积极总结各阶段管制模式的成败得失,努力构造《人工生殖法》的原则和框架,以提高人工生殖技术管制的合法性和有效性。     

Assisted reproduction versus spontaneous conception: a comparison of the developmental outcomes in twins

The use of assisted reproductive technology is increasing rapidly. Research, although sparse, has resulted in inconsistent findings as to the developmental prognosis for infants conceived by assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization and the use of fertility drugs. In the present study, the authors compared twins who were spontaneously conceived with those who were conceived through assisted reproductive technology. The authors found differences in birth weight and gestational age. Infants conceived by assisted reproductive technology fared worse than did those who were spontaneously conceived. The authors found no differences between the groups in mental development at 24 months of age, but they found evidence of differences in physical development. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Patterns of Mother-Infant Contact: The Significance of Lateral Preference

The use of assisted reproductive technology is increasing rapidly. Research, although sparse, has resulted in inconsistent findings as to the developmental prognosis for infants conceived by assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization and the use of fertility drugs. In the present study, the authors compared twins who were spontaneously conceived with those who were conceived through assisted reproductive technology. The authors found differences in birth weight and gestational age. Infants conceived by assisted reproductive technology fared worse than did those who were spontaneously conceived. The authors found no differences between the groups in mental development at 24 months of age, but they found evidence of differences in physical development. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

神经培养的发展史与启示

简述神经培养技术与各学科关系的现状并回顾神经培养的发展历史,将神经培养历史划分为萌芽期、起步期、迅速发展阶段和新发展阶段等.从神经培养技术发展的角度入手,分析了新技术的突破与学科发展的密切关系.     

Reproductive Vocabularies: Interrogating Intersections of Reproduction,Sexualities, and Religion among U.S. Cisgender College Women

Although feminists often examine the ways reproduction shapes women’s lives, such research typically only focuses on the effects of reproduction after the fact while leaving reproductive decision-making beforehand unexplored. In the present article, we flip this pattern by outlining the “vocabularies of motive” (Mills 1940) cisgender women offer for wanting to engage in or abstain from reproduction. Based on in-depth interviews with 20 class-privileged, cisgender U.S. women in college who possess the resources to forego reproduction, we analyze how they define their reproductive intentions as (a) conforming to social expectations, (b) seeking fulfillment, (c) replicating past experience, and/or (d) rejecting reproduction and parenting. Further, we compare and contrast the reproductive vocabularies of motive offered by heterosexual and bisexual as well as religious and nonreligious cisgender women in our sample. In conclusion, we draw out implications for understanding women’s reproductive decision-making and the social construction of reproductive norms.     

Using Augustine in contemporary sexual ethics. A response to Gilbert Meilaender

In response to Gilbert Meilaender's innovative interpretation of Augustine and of Roman Catholic teaching, the author suggests (1) that Meilaender attributes to Augustine a more positive view of sexual pleasure than the texts will support, (2) that modern Roman Catholic teaching suggests that love should have priority over procreation as a meaning of sex; and (3) that the moral logic of Meilaender's argument does not require a rejection of all reproductive technologies. Nonetheless, the author agrees that a more critical attitude should be adopted toward the reasons for which technologically assisted reproduction is promoted and undertaken, as well as toward its social impact.     

人际责任推断与行为应对策略的归因分析

探讨人际责任归因与行为应对策略之间的内在联系。376名被试参与了此项研究。结果表明：(1)内在的可控的失败原因引起最高责任推断、最高程度的责备和最低程度的安慰;相反,内在的不可控的稳定的原因与最低责任、最低责备以及最高程度的安慰相联系。(2)责任归因与责备和安慰之间的数量化关系通过结构方程模型得以确定。(3)女大学生更倾向于对失败行为作可以控制的归因;在行为反应上,教师或管理者更倾向于使用安慰策略     

大学生的人际归因倾向、网络交往动机与网络人际关系成瘾的关系研究

随着网络的日益普及,网络交往已成为一种新的人际交往方式,但网络人际关系成瘾的问题也日益凸显。本研究旨在探讨大学生的人际归因倾向、网络交往动机与网络人际关系成瘾的关系,使用问卷法对447名大学生的调查结果发现：（1）人际关系的内外归因倾向都和网络交往动机都呈显著正相关,但只有人际关系外归因倾向和网络人际关系成瘾呈显著正相关。（2）网络交往动机在人际关系外归因倾向对网络人际关系成瘾的影响中起部分中介作用。     

女性选择辅助生殖技术的文化动力

在现代医学的语境中,女性的身体究竟是什么?是被当作肉体还是视作活生生的身体?这在很大程度上影响着女性的地位和命运。辅助生殖技术迎合了社会的主流需要,使女性的身体客观化为肉体,女性作为活生生的身体已被淡漠和遗忘。辅助生殖技术只有成为女性的自主选择才是合理的。     

“Where Did I Come From?” The Impact of ART on Families and Psychotherapists

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) and psychoanalysis as it relates to people who’ve struggled emotionally in pursuit of their wish to create a family. Recent medical advances have changed baby-making to the extent that infertility is no longer a terminal diagnosis (Ehrensaft, 2012). New opportunities exist to create a family through introduction of a third party in the process of conception via in vitro fertilization, the use of donor egg and/or sperm, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and surrogacy. The realities raised by these new methods have challenged usual cultural ideas of what constitutes a family, as well as what it means to become a parent or give birth to a child (Ehrensaft, 2000; Notman, 2011; Samish, 2006). The subject of reproductive medicine has stimulated a wide range of emotions within the community of people who suffer infertility and among psychotherapists who become involved with them in analytic and psychotherapeutic relationships.     

La fécondation artificielle post-mortem dans le Code civil Hellénique

Medically assisted reproduction offers a technique that allows to have children of a recently deceased person. This is provided for in the Hellenic Civil Code. This article analyzes and criticizes the conditions of post-mortem assisted reproduction according to the Hellenic Civil Code.     

中学生学习动机、成就归因、学习效能感与成就状况之间因果关系的研究

该研究采用测验法对中学生学习动机、成就归因、学习效能感与成就状况之间的因果关系进行了探讨,并建立起因果关系模型。研究结果表明：学习动机、成就归因、学习效能感与成就状况之间是相互联系和相互影响的,学习动机、成就归因、学习效能感直接或间接影响个体的成就状况。