Ethical Considerations on Social Egg Freezing for Single Women
10.12026/j.issn.1001-8565.2023.03.09
- VernacularTitle:单身女性社会性冻卵的伦理学思考
- Author:
Derong GAO
1
;
Xuwen SHI
1
Author Information
1. College of Medical Humanities, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Single Women;
Social Egg Freezing;
Fertility Preservation;
Principles of Bioethics
- From:
Chinese Medical Ethics
2023;36(3):288-292
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Since the occurrence of the first case of "egg freezing for single women" in China, it has aroused different discussions and thoughts from all walks of life. Through the ethical analysis of the four principles of bioethics, this paper found a reasonable ethical basis for single women’s egg freezing. From the perspective of favorable principle, egg freezing could temporarily preserve women’s fertility, which is conducive to women’s better realization of their own personal value and social values. From the perspective of no harm principle, no harm is relative, and the harm brought by egg freezing technology is within the acceptable and permissible range. From the perspective of justice principle, whether there is gender discriminatory in that men could freeze their sperm but women have many restrictions on egg freezing. From the principle of respect for autonomy, whether to choose egg freezing is a manifestation of women’s autonomy rights, which should be respected. This paper tried to propose corresponding solutions to the ethical and legal issues caused by the permission of egg freezing from the legal perspective, the medical ethics committee’s responsibilities, and the ethical level.
