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Biomedical subjects

G Pennings

Publications and source records attributed to G Pennings.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

The right to privacy and access to information about one's genetic origins.

The right to privacy contains different dimensions. Best known are the possibility to restrict the flow of personal information to others (limited access by others) and the right not to know certain information gathered about oneself. Since the privacy right is meant to protect the identity, self-image and personal life of the person, he should also have the right to know certain facts about himself. Information about genetic origins is potentially important for the child conceived by means of donor insemination because it tells him something about himself and about the relationships he has with others. However, the positive privacy right of the donor offspring may be overridden by the negative privacy right of the parents in which case they may keep the method of conception a secret and by the negative privacy of the donor which gives him the right to remain anonymous.

Civil Rights↗
PubMed2000

Avoiding multiple pregnancies in ART: multiple pregnancies: a test case for the moral quality of medically assisted reproduction.

Although most professional societies have issued guidelines to diminish the number of embryos to be transferred during assisted reproduction techniques, the incidence of multiple pregnancies remains unacceptably high. The negative psychological, social and medical consequences for the patients and their offspring easily outweigh the benefits in terms of increased success rates. Multiple pregnancies would never be tolerated if the 'best interest of the child' standard was applied as strictly to these consequences, as it is to controversial family forms. The persistence of high multiple pregnancy rates is largely due to the pressure brought to bear on the physicians to increase the overall success rate. The fertility specialist should inform the patients about the risks and benefits of a multiple transfer but ultimately the specialist should decide how many embryos to transfer. Multifetal reduction is an ethically acceptable solution if, and only if, the physician has taken all reasonable steps to prevent the occurrence of a multiple pregnancy. Finally, an additional strategy to decrease the incidence of multiple pregnancies is proposed, i.e. to extend the professional responsibility of the fertility specialist to all steps of procreation including pregnancy, birth and neonatal care.

Child↗
PubMed1997

The 'double track' policy for donor anonymity.

Although there is no evidence that any one policy is the best solution, clinics as well as legislators tend to impose one position about donor anonymity on all participants. The most evident alternative policy is to let the parties decide for themselves. Donors may choose between anonymity or identification and recipients can opt for an anonymous or identifiable donor. This 'double track' policy for anonymity represents the best attempt to balance the rights of donors, recipients and donor offspring. The procedure reflects the plurality of visions and the absence of an independent standard to decide which one is best.

Confidentiality↗
PubMed1997

Gamete donation from couple to couple in the new French law.

In practice, the partners or spouses of gamete donors are frequently asked permission for the donation. The new French law on bioethics of 29 July 1994 requires that: a) the donor should be one of a couple that has already procreated and b) the written consent of the partner or spouse is obtained. These conditions lead not only to several practical problems in the organisation of donor insemination but also reject a large part of the potential donor population. The two basic qualities demanded of the donors, e.g., paternity and stable relationship, are analyzed. It is proposed that only fatherhood should serve as an exclusionary criterion for sperm donation. The donor need not be a part of a couple at the moment of the donation but if he has a partner at that time her opinion should be heard.

Cross-Cultural Comparison↗
PubMed1996

Partner consent for sperm donation.

The current practice of demanding the consent of the spouse for sperm donation is analysed. Three aspects of marriage may be involved: (i) sexual exclusivity and adultery, (ii) family composition and (iii) procreational exclusivity. The different justifications for giving the partner the right to participate in the decision-making process are critically scrutinized. The perspective taken in this article is that the transfer of gametes must be understood and situated within the moral framework of the relationship between donor and partner. Depending on the kind of relationship the donor has with his partner, he may be morally obliged to consult his procreational partner. In a close relationship, all decisions concerning the use of one's reproductive faculties should be joint decisions. However, it is not the task of the clinic or the physician to see that donors honour their agreements and commitments. The clinic should not seek the partner's consent, although in the counselling sessions it should be pointed out to the donor that he may have a responsibility to inform his partner and to confer with her on his donation.

Community Participation↗
PubMed1995

Should donors have the right to decide who receives their gametes?

A continuing feature of gamete donation is the scarcity of available donors. A strategy to improve the meagre supply of gametes would be to adjust the donation procedure to the wishes and desires of the donors. However, giving donors the right to direct their gametes to certain groups of recipients goes against the general rule that donors relinquish all rights and duties. Moreover, allocation by the donor might very well run counter to the rules of distributional justice. On the other hand, the allocation right can be supported by the principle of autonomy and by the donor's interest in and contribution to the process. The position is taken that the donors should have the right to direct their gametes to categories accepted as relevant by the moral and religious communities in their society. They should not be given the right to add their own categories to the exclusion list. If donors are not allowed to allocate their gift, they should at least be informed as to which categories of recipient are treated by the hospital to enable them to decide whether they want to donate gametes.

Cultural Diversity↗
PubMed1995

Age and assisted reproduction.

Parenthood is conceptualized as a commitment. Responsible parents are reasonably certain that they will be able to meet their parental obligations and responsibilities. Two factors which may cause the failure to meet the commitment are discussed: (1) lack of time and (2) insufficient personal resources and capacities. Since these capacities are no longer present in most people in their seventies, the age limit for parenthood is placed around 50. The use of the average competent life span as a reference for decisions about the cut-off age limit is closely connected to an opinion about what constitutes a complete life. A complete life is a life in which (a) one's moral obligations and responsibilities have been discharged; and (b) one's life possibilities have on the whole been accomplished. Both conditions are fulfilled if procreation takes place before the age of 50.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Incest, gamete donation by siblings and the importance of the genetic link.

Recently, several requests have emerged in which women wished to be impregnated with donor eggs fertilized with spermatozoa of their brother. An important argument advanced against such applications is that it is a kind of incest. Four definitions of incest are reviewed in this article to evaluate the acceptability of these demands. The first three (sexual intercourse, reproduction with gametes of first-degree relatives and symbolic incest) do not apply to the cases. However, when the sister and her brother intend to raise the child as social mother and father, these requests should be considered as "intentional incest". If the brother only functions as an uncle, the request of the woman resembles the currently accepted practice of oocyte donation from sister to sister. In that case, the wish to receive gametes from a first-degree relative is motivated by the wish to establish as far as possible a genetic link with the child.

Consanguinity↗