Chapter 7.D.3 In Vitro Fertilization and Frozen Embryos

Problems: Ethical Aspects of IVF

· The Risk of Failure vs. the Risk of Sextuplets.

The well-publicized birth of octuplets to Nadha Suleman in 2009 highlighted several of the legal, ethical, and social concerns associated with ART. Ms. Suleman already had six older children created through IVF. See Randal C. Archibold, Octuplets, 6 Siblings, and Many Questions, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/us/04octuplets.html, and Stephanie Saul, Birth of Octuplets Puts Focus on Fertility Clinics, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/health/12ivf.html. See also, John A. Robertson, The Octuplet Case - Why More Regulation Is Not Likely, 39(3) Hastings Center Report 26 (2009).

For a survey regarding the increased possibility of multiple births in women that conceive through ART, see Saswati Sunderam et al., Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance – United States 2006, MMWR Vol.58, No. SS-5 (2009), available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5805a1.htm?s_cid=ss5805a1_e.

Notes: Frozen Embryo Disputes

1. Family, Property, or Contract Law?

Theresa M. Erickson & Megan T. Erickson, What Happens to Embryos When a Marriage Dissolves? Embryo Disposition and Divorce, 35 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 469 (2009); Elizabeth E. Swire, The Disposition of Cryopreserved Embryos: Why Embryo Adoption is an Inapposite Model for Application to Third Party Assisted Reproduction, 35 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 489 (2009).

In re Marriage of Dahl and Angle, 222 Or.App. 572 (Or.App. 2008)(enforcing valid agreement to destroy embryos). See also In re Marriage of Nash, 150 Wash.App. 1029, 2009 WL 1514842 (Wash.App. Div.1 2009).