IVF Philosophy of Medical Ethics series

Transcription

1 Philosophy of Medical Ethics series Program Support Notes by: Laura Beilby Teacher of Philosophy and Religion Produced by: Classroom Video Ltd Commissioning Editor: Dee Powell Classroom Video Ltd 2011 Reproducing these support notes You may download and copy this resource pack for use with your classes in an educational setting only. All copyright remains the property of Classroom Video Ltd. Producer: Thomasina Gibson Executive Producer: Simon Garner B.Ed, Dip Management To order or inquire please contact VEA: VEA (Video Education America) 6902 Hawthorn Park Dr Indianapolis, IN Phone: Fax: Website

2 For Teachers Brief Summary of Program This program investigates the range of issues surrounding IVF treatment, considering both religious and moral perspectives, alongside the current legislation and practices in Britain and around the world. It looks at what IVF is and why an individual/couple might seek IVF treatment. It also includes a case study of a couple who have had IVF treatment. Other Background Information for Teachers IVF (in vitro fertilization) is a medical procedure used to help some infertile couples. A woman's ovaries are stimulated to produce multiple eggs which are fertilized with her partner's sperm. This produces several fertilized embryos, some of which are placed in her womb. Although IVF has been around for over 30 years it is still a matter of debate today for a variety of reasons. With IVF clinics, the ethical questions arise from the fact that new lives are being created by the doctors and nurses involved. The welfare of the unborn child must be considered. Should unmarried couples get treatment? What about those where one partner has children from a previous relationship? Other questions can also arise, such as whether parents should be able to select the gender, eye color, hair color or any other feature of their child. This can include selecting children in order for them to be suitable as donors (bone marrow, kidney) for older siblings. These issues are not dealt with by individual ethics committees but are instead decided by the HFEA (Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority). This government organisation inspects and regulates fertility clinics in the UK. Curriculum Links NQ Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, Higher RMPS (SQA) Morality in the Modern World Medical Ethics NQ Advanced Higher RMPS (SQA) Bioethics The Beginning of life - Treatment of embryos, Genetic engineering OCR - G572: AS Religious Ethics Applied Ethics - topics on Euthanasia, Genetic Engineering, Embryo Research, The Right to a Child. EDEXCEL - AS Unit 2: Religious Studies Investigations Area C: The Study of Ethics Medical Ethics AQA GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES Topic 1 Religious Attitudes to Matters of Life (Medical Ethics) OCR GCSE Unit B603: Ethics (Relationships, Medical Ethics, Poverty and Wealth) 2

3 Other Useful Resources Books An Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics, Mel Thompson Hodder and Stoughton, ISBN Beliefs, Values and Traditions, Ann Lovelace and Joy White Heinemann, ISBN Contemporary Moral Issues, Joe Jenkins Heinemann, ISBN Ethical Studies, Robert A Bowie Nelson Thornes, ISBN Issues of Life and Death, Michael Wilcockson Hodder & Stoughton, ISBN Making Moral Decisions, Joe Walker Hodder Gibson, ISBN (Support Edition ISBN ) Religion and Society, Victor W Watton Hodder & Stoughton, ISBN Truth, Spirituality and Contemporary Issues, Lesley Parry Hodder & Stoughton, ISBN: Websites news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/ stm news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/ stm openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=

4 For Students Initiate Prior Learning 1. Begin by getting pupils to define the following words: Fertility Infertility Family IVF 2. In small groups get pupils to discuss their future hopes and expectations about the type of family they want to have. They may consider some of the following questions: Do you want to get married? Do you want children? If so, how many? Would they like boys or girls? What are some of the options if they were unable to conceive children naturally? (They might suggest adoption, IVF, fostering, not having children) What might they do if they were having difficulties conceiving? 4

5 Active Viewing Guide Whilst viewing the program, ask students to answer the following questions: 1. What important event happened in 1944? 2. What is IVF? 3. Women with what problem were most likely to get IVF treatment in the past? 4. Where in the world is there the highest proportion of private fertility clinics per capita? 5. Spain does not have a shortage of egg donors, why is it thought that this is the case? 6. Why is IVF not recommended for women over the age of 42? 7. What are two different Christian perspectives on IVF? 8. What are the requirements for IVF to be accepted according to Islam? 9. Do Hindus agree with IVF treatment? 10. When in the UK can couples select the sex of their babies? 11. What does HFEA stand for? 12. Who is Louise Brown? 13. Does IVF always work? Suggested Answers: 1. The first human egg was fertilized in a laboratory creating a human embryo 2. The egg is fertilized outside the body creating an embryo and then it is implanted in the womb. 3. Those with blocked fallopian tubes. 4. Israel 5. They pay the donors for their eggs. 6. The chances of a successful conception are too low. 7. The Catholic position - Life begins at conception and thus IVF goes against God s will. The Anglican position It enables families to experience the joy of childbirth/having children, but it is not necessarily everyone s right. It is generally accepted. 8. That it is for a married couple and that the child is biologically the child of the parents. 9. Absolutely 10. If they have a disease that is specific to a sex, they can select the sex of their baby to avoid passing on this disease. 11. The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority 12. The World s first Test-Tube Baby the first baby born via IVF 13. No, couples may have a number of cycles of IVF and still never conceive. 5

6 Ask students to prepare a table like the following (or provide them with a copy of the one below) and complete it whilst watching the program: RELIGION Christianity Catholic: VIEWS ON IVF Anglican: Islam Judaism Hinduism Sikhism Buddhism 6

7 Extension Activities 1. Discussion questions: According to national statistics, one of every six couples will experience difficulty achieving pregnancy. What are some reasons such couples might choose in vitro fertilization? What are some reasons that they might not? Embryos created by in vitro fertilization can be frozen for later implantation. What should be done with embryos if the donor mother decides she cannot use them or prefers not to use them? Do you think it is ethical to sell them? Why or why not? Who has the right to decide what to do with the frozen embryos? When embryos are created in a laboratory, who owns them? What if the donor parents divorce? Do the embryos become the property of the laboratory? How could such a dilemma be resolved? In vitro fertilization often produces multiple embryos that are implanted in the uterus. If more than one embryo "takes," is selective abortion acceptable for the purpose of reducing the number of embryos so that the remaining embryos have an increased chance of survival? Louise, the first "test-tube baby," was born in How do you think it would feel to be the first baby conceived by IVF? Do you think it has had an effect on her life? Do you think a child should be told that he or she was conceived through IVF? What are the reasons to reveal this information? What are the reasons to withhold it? 7

8 2. Look through the facts about IVF below. Highlight the facts you already know in yellow. Highlight the facts you are most surprised by in pink. Scientific: Infertility is the inability to get pregnant (conceive). 1 in 7 couples in the UK has trouble conceiving. IVF is successful in only 22% of cases (chances increase with 2 or more cycles). IVF involves: i) removing some of the woman s egg cells, ii) fertilizing them with sperm to create embryos in a laboratory, and iii) implanting the embryos in the woman to carry pregnancy. Legal Clinics must decide if couples will be suitable parents before providing treatment. Since 2005, eggs and sperm cannot be donated anonymously. If one partner removes their consent to use their eggs/sperm, the embryos must be destroyed. Political From April 2005, the UK government advised that all eligible couples should receive one cycle of treatment on the NHS. Waiting times for treatment vary across the UK. In England and Wales, the suggested age limit for women receiving IVF is 40 years old. Economic In 2005, the cost of one cycle of IVF was Drugs to support the treatment cost an extra In 2005, only 25% of IVF treatment was funded by the NHS. Social Some pro-life supporters disagree with destroying embryos that are not used in treatment. Some religious leaders believe we shouldn t interfere with natural reproduction. Many women are waiting until they are older to have children, when their fertility is lower, and it is more difficult to conceive. Designer babies is a term used by the media. It describes an embryo chosen for specific characteristics or genetic traits. 8

9 3. Your task: You are members of an advisory group. Resources are limited. You must prioritize who should receive IVF treatment on the NHS. You must consider the welfare of the child above all else. You must choose 3 families who will receive treatment and 3 families to reject, then give your reasons. Family A Mr and Mrs A are in their mid thirties and are unemployed. They come from large families and desperately want children of their own. They received one cycle of IVF on the NHS and spent their life savings on a second cycle. Both were unsuccessful. They cannot afford to pay for this treatment privately again. Family B Miss B is single and in her late forties. She is a successful business-woman. She always intended to have children, but never met the right man. She has tried insemination with donor sperm but did not conceive. Miss B would like IVF to try IVF treatment again with donated sperm. Family C Mr and Mrs C have been married for 2 years. Mr C is in his mid forties. Mrs C is thirty. He has one son from a previous marriage who lives with them. They have been trying for a child for 3 years, but with no success. Family E Mrs E is a 35 year old widow. Mr E died of cancer, but froze a sample of his sperm before he died. Mrs E has a good job that pays well. She is a smoker. Mrs E would like to have IVF with husband s frozen sperm to have the baby she has always wanted. Family D Mr and Mrs D are in their early twenties and have been married for five years. Mr D previously decided he did not want any children, so he had a vasectomy which prevents him having children. They now both want children. Mr D has tried, unsuccessfully, to have the vasectomy reversed. They would now like to have IVF treatment using donor sperm. Family F Mrs F and Mrs F are a gay couple and have been together for ten years. They are in their mid thirties. Mrs F s male friend has offered to donate sperm so the couple can have a child. They would like to use IVF treatment to fertilize their eggs before implantation of embryos into one of them. 9