International Federation of Fertility Societies Surveillance 2013: preface and conclusions

Assisted Reproductive Technology in Europe: Usage and Regulation in the Context of Cross-Border Reproductive Care

“…Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), which has been practiced since the early 1990's (Simpson, 2010), is likely the ethically most controversial form of ART. PGD has clear benefits, as it can help parents avoid passing on inheritable disorders to their children, and it is generally considered to be safe and to have a low rate of errors (Ory et al, 2014). However, fears about the creation of 'designer babies' and moral concerns about the use of PGD for non-medical purposes (such as sex selection) are often expressed in public discussions about ART.…”

“…The share is around one per cent in Denmark, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom; and is around two per cent in Belgium and the Czech Republic. Given the controversy surrounding PGD, it is interesting to note that the procedure is generally allowed in all of the countries listed in Figure 2 (Ory et al, 2014); however, Denmark and Slovenia restrict its use to screening for specific hereditary disorders.…”

“…Nonetheless, these reports provide a useful overview of the differences in ART governance across Europe. In the following, we present data from the most recent IFFS Surveillance Report (Ory et al, 2014), which refers to the year 2013. We include all of the European countries featured in the report, plus a number of contrasting non-European cases.…”

“…Couple and sexuality requirements represent a socially relevant aspect of ART policies, as they govern access to ART treatments over and above the financial restrictions that infertile couples and individuals face. Table 2 lists the couple and sexuality requirements, as reported by Ory et al (2014) for all European countries and India, Japan, and the U.S. It should be noted that these requirements can stem from both legislation and guidelines.…”

“…However, apart from Turkey (and Japan), all of the European countries listed also provide treatment to couples who live in a stable relationship. Ory et al (2014) acknowledged that 'stable relationship' is a poorly defined concept open to interpretation, yet it is widely embraced across countries. Countries are somewhat more restrictive in their rules regarding unpartnered women who want to undergo ART treatment.…”