The Pros And Cons Of In Vitro Fertilization

“In vitro fertilization is a complex series of procedures used to treat fertility or genetic problems and assist with the conception of a child”1 The traditional use of IVF, is when eggs are harvested from a mother’s ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab, which the then, fertilized embryo is implanted back into the mother’s uterus for maturation and growth.1 Today, there are many growing, potential uses for IVF, such as using IVF for mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) for preventing inheritable mitochondrial diseases.2 The mitochondrial genome is inherited from the mother.2 MRT involves three parents: the mother and father, and a donor egg. It uses the nucleus containing the nuclear genome from the mother, leaving behind the “bad” mitochondrial

The concept of Autonomy is the right for someone to make their own decision.6 For parent’s who want to have a child, but cannot because of a genetic disease that the mother might pass on, should have the right to make a decision to participate in MRT if they want a child. For example, in one case, a mother had previously had four miscarriages and the death of two of her children due a mitochondrial inherited neurological defect called Leigh syndrome. She was able to make the decision to try MRT and was finally able to have a healthy baby.7 Some might argue that people have the right to make a decision up to a certain point, and making decisions that “play God” should not be allowed. For this argument, people would also have to be against all of

This is due to a MRT falling under the oversight of the FDA, which would mean clinical trials under an investigational new drug application would be required. Its approval has been currently stopped due to a rider in the 2016 Congressional Appropriations Act.8 MRT is currently available in the United Kingdom, and is under the Human Fertilization and
Embryology Authority. Having the HFEA with specialized authority has really propelled the UK’s ability to experiment with the use of MRT.8
In conclusion, although in vitro fertilization has many controversial and ethical dilemmas in the advancement of its use, three parent IVF using mitochondrial replacement therapy has benefits that outweigh the negative controversial issues. Using MRT is a beneficial use of IVF to allow parents with inheritable mitochondrial diseases to have healthy babies that otherwise wouldn’t be able to. When assessing autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and consequential ethics, mitochondrial replacement therapy should be permitted to allow a safer way for parents with mitochondrial diseases to be able to produce viable, healthy