Ethics and reproduction

Article Abstract:

Reproductive medicine is faced with many complicated ethical issues caused by the rapid changes taking place with new reproductive technological advancements. The National Commission of the Protection of Human Subjects (Belmont Project) has developed ethical guidelines to protect the rights of the American public. The three basic principles are discussed. People should be given complete information (pros and cons) so that autonomous decisions can be made, and in the case of children, adolescents and impaired adults guardians should be appointed to help make decisions; any action taken should be beneficial, and not do harm but rather seek good for individuals and communities; and finally, any action should assure that the interests of one group will not be sacrificed for the benefit of another. These principles can be applied to both individuals and groups. However, new reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization, prenatal diagnosis and fetal sex selection have challenged these longstanding ethical principles. In vitro fertilization requires that many embryos be produced in the laboratory, with only a few actually being transferred. What should happen to the 'extra' embryos, particularly if the parents die? Prenatal diagnosis techniques can now identify the sex of an embryo before transfer. Although genetic diseases caused by defects of the sex chromosome can be identified, some argue that one person cannot decide and forecast the potential quality of life of that embryo, which has a 50-50 chance of developing the disease. The removal of organs for transplantation from abnormal infants who are not expected to live raises additional issues. In many cases, the definition of brain death that normally applies to adults cannot be applied to fetuses born without brain tissue. Many issues depend on a definition of when life begins, which in the United Kingdom is considered to begin at 28 weeks of pregnancy. Another issue facing reproductive medicine concerns the question of surrogacy. It is obvious that medical advancements have proceeded faster than the ability to resolve the tough ethical issues they raise. As an overriding principle for the long run, reproductive technology must ultimately do public good. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Ethical aspects, Human reproductive technology, Medical ethics, transcript

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Vitamin D (soltriol), light, and reproduction

Article Abstract:

The role of light in reproduction has recently been investigated. Vitamin D (soltriol), actually a steroid hormone and not a vitamin, can be obtained from dietary sources or made in the body when it is exposed to sunlight. It is already known that soltriol is the hormone which regulates calcium in the body. It is postulated that soltriol regulates reproduction as well by being the messenger of sunlight hitting the skin surface. Sunlight converts the inactive form of soltriol, cholecalciferol, to the active form in the liver, placenta and kidney. Soltriol, the hormone of daylight, and melanin, the hormone of darkness, in combination appear to regulate many daily and seasonal processes. This study evaluated the effects of sunlight and messenger soltriol on the female organs of rats. Receptors for soltriol were found on the surfaces of cells in the uterus, ovaries, breast glands, placenta and fetal membranes as well as on cells in the pituitary and hypothalamus, glands which secrete other hormones. Soltriol is associated with secretion of hormones such as gonadotropin, the hormone which stimulates the release of estrogen from the ovaries. There is evidence that not only visual light but short-wave light is involved in the skin-soltriol system. Humans are one of the few animals who are not seasonal breeders, that is they reproduce all year round. Some studies have shown that there is an increased rate of conception in the summer months. The biologic effects of sunlight, although difficult to study, will increase our knowledge of reproduction.

Physiological aspects, Vitamin D, Solar radiation

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How accurate is male recall of reproductive information?

Article Abstract:

Remembering reproductive-oriented information is acceptably accurate in men. Agreement between men and their spouses on issues such as reproductive histories, birth control usage, time to conception and intercourse frequency ranged from moderate to high. Methods of obtaining data included questionnaires and telephone surveys.

Psychological aspects, Demographic aspects, Men, Memory

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