Ethical Issues in Prenatal Sex Selection

Abstract

Studies of the family planning attitudes of individuals and couples in many countries indicate continuing, although some what diminished, preferences for children of a particular sex.Developments in assisted reproductive technologies, occurring as part of genetics revolution, have made it possible for parents to select the sex of a child prenatally.In this article some values that have particular relevance to prenatal sex selection are discussed, consist of social justice, human relationships, and autonomy.The ethical dilemmas associated with prenatal sex selection that have relevance to social justice are reinforcement of gender bias, potential for creating an imbalance in the sex ratio, implications for eugenics, inequities in access based on social and economic status, discarding of embryos and allocation of medical resources. Ethical dilemmas regarding human relationships are: children’s well-being, quality of parent child relationship and the quality of couple relationship. The other discussed value that is relevant to sex selection is respect for autonomy.The right of individuals to full access to available knowledge and technology and to have their desire for family formation addressed competes with the right of society to insist on the protection, equality and freedom from oppression or discrimination of its members. For policy making, regarding sex selection, non-maleficence should be considered as the prima facie duty.

Keywords

• sex selection
• ethics
• sexism
• justice