THE RIGHT TO AN HEIR IN THE ERA OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTION

The latest remarkable technological advances in assisted reproduction, which enable cryopreservation of spermatozoa, embryos and ovarian tis sue, raise difficult and debatable legal, social, ethical and moral is sues concerning the right to posthumous reproduction. Furthermore, rep orts on the attitudes of the general public and of centres licensed fo r infertility treatment in the United Kingdom found that the majority of women and centres support the idea of posthumous reproduction. In t his paper we review the data published on this issue, and after consid ering the various aspects, we conclude that each case should be discus sed and authorized by a multidisciplinary committee that includes phys icians, clergy, psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists and other a ppropriate parties. In our opinion, the main principles that should gu ide this committee would allow posthumous reproduction in the context of marriage when a prior consent exists. For unmarried persons, postmo rtem donation of gametes should be done only anonymously, if they are in agreement with existing laws concerning infertility treatments in e very country and after appropriate consent and proper counselling. Mor eover, any case which involves consanguinity or a possibility of inces t should be forbidden, both for ethical and genetic reasons. In a case of pre-existing siblings, they should be consulted and their informed consent should be granted in advance so as to avoid legal problems in the inheritance of property.