The debate on assisted reproductive therapy must shift its focus from the interests of the parents to those of the conceived - Dr Alexina McWhinnie senior research fellow at the department of social work told an international conference at the Royal Society in London last month.
IVF - the focus must shift Speaking at The Child of ART conference, organised by Comment on Reproductive Ethics, Dr McWhinnie said: "Contemporary debate about medically assisted procreation always focuses on the scientific developments, the plight of the infertile and the wonderful new options this field of medicine can offer to achieve parenthood. Medical intervention produces babies but does not ask the long-term questions. How do the babies fare as children and as adults?"
Dr McWhinnie's paper focuses on this issue and brings together what is available from research studies, from historical development of the use of donor insemination (DI) since the 1930s and from the views of people created in this way.
She says: "To date, their views have not been heard but growing numbers are voicing their concerns and anger at aspects of how they were created. Does it matter to them that their true origins have been kept a secret by their parents and by the emphasis on secrecy, confidentiality and anonymity which is an integral part of medical provision in this area?
"This paper aims to stimulate a realistic debate about this and to set a new agenda for the provision of assisted conception services, particularly where donations of sperm, eggs and embryos are used."
Dr McWhinnie has published widely, both nationally and internationally, on this subject and was awarded a prize by the World Association for Medical Law in 1995 for her Study of Parenting of IVF and DI Children. She is currently researching the social and psychological outcomes for families following assisted conception, IVF and donor insemination as well as continuing research into adoption, foster care and secrecy about origins.
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