What are some of the ethical issues and concerns related to in vitro fertilization?
CP: Two ethical issues arise from in vitro fertilization. The first ethical concern is what should be done with the extra embryos produced during the procedure. The second issue is the possibility of selective reduction (abortion of one or more fetuses) being recommended if multiple embryos develop during one pregnancy. During in vitro fertilization procedures, many eggs are fertilized to ensure the success of at least one being implanted in the uterus. In the past, to increase the chance for a successful pregnancy, a number of embryos were transferred to the uterus. Sometimes, too many of the transferred embryos would implant, jeopardizing the health of the mother. But the need to transfer many embryos and the resulting ethical concerns are becoming less of an issue. Technological improvements now make it possible to get satisfactory pregnancy success rate by implanting only one or two embryos—a normal single or twin pregnancy. What still remains an issue is what should be done with t
