Description
Book SynopsisInvolving a third person in a child's conception raises many difficult issues and dilemmas. This book provides a comprehensive guide to the place of third party assisted conception within health care provision, drawing on local ethical and religious standpoints as well as political and economic factors.
Eric Blyth and Ruth Landau have brought together authors from a broad range of professional backgrounds to consider the social, legal and ethical aspects of third party assisted conception in thirteen countries dispersed through North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Third Party Assisted Conception Across Cultures addresses many contemporary social issues including the role of the state in family creation, the changing forms and conceptualizations of a 'family' and concerns about the potential commodification of body-parts and functions.
All health care practitioners and policymakers who wish to develop their knowledge and understanding of the policies underlying third party assisted conception practice and the ethical context surrounding it, will find this book invaluable.
Trade ReviewThis is a collection of articles descriptive of third party assisted conception practices and regulations in a variety of countries. At the outset it must be said that for a book that deals with a rather esoteric topic, one that appears to be distant from the average reader, it is well written and holds the interest even of those who may not be familiar with that area of endeavour... It is an interesting text to be perused. The authors, scholarly professionals themselves, demonstrate an understanding not only of infertility and third party assisted conception, but also of the religious and cultural contexts in which these practices arise. -- European Journal of Social Work
Anyone concerned with the artificial creation of families, including adoption, should study this volume and take note of what happens when relatively unregulated processes, dominated by money, medical technology and the needs of adults, reign supreme. -- Adoption and Fostering
Compact as it is, this book contains a wealth of fascinating research into the way in which assisted conception is regarded at social, legal and ethical levels in each of thirteen countries across the world, from places as diverse as Argentina and Finland, Singapore and Poland. The book presents a wealth of facts in a most digestible format. It fascinates as much as it informs. -- British Journal of Social Work
Given the government's recent decision to allow infertile couples one course of IVF on the NHS more people will have access to third party assisted conceptions, this is a timely book, writes Kathryn Evans. It may answer some of the myriad questions raised by those unfamiliar with the subject. The introduction provides a readable potted history of assisted conceptions in each country despite international knowledge of the different techniques. -- Community Care
Table of ContentsIntroduction. Eric Blyth, Univerity of Huddersfield and Ruth Landau, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 1. Argentina: Hopes, Results and Barriers. Luisa Baron, Buenos Aires University. 2. Australia: Choice and Diversity in Regulation and Record Keeping. Helen Szoke, Infertility Treatment Authority, Melbourne. 3. Canada: The Long Road to Regulation.Jean Haase, London Health Services Centre, Ontario. 4. Finland: Unregulated Practices, Familiarity and Legality. Maili Malin, STAKES, Finland and Riitta Burrell, Researcher, Michigan. 5. Germany: The Changing Legal and Social Culture. Petra Thorn, Protestant University of Applied Sciences, Darmstadt. 6. Hong Kong: A Social, Legal and Clinical Overview. Ernest Ng, Athena Liu, Celia Chan and Cecilia Chan, University of Hong Kong. 7. Israel: Every Person has the Right to Have Children. Ruth Landau. 8. New Zealand: From Secrecy and Shame to Openness and Acceptance. Ken Daniels, University of Canterbury, Christchurch. 9. Poland: Provision and Guidelines for Third Party Assisted Conception. Eleonora Bielawka-Batorowicz, University of Lodz. 10. Singapore: Practice and Challenges. Rosaleen Ow, National University of Singapore. 11. South Africa: Cultural Diversity. Charlene Laurence Carbonatto, University of Pretoria. 12. The United Kingdom: Evolution of a Statutary Regulatory Approach. Eric Blyth. 13. The United States of America: Eric Blyth with Jean Benward, psychotherapist, California. Conclusion Eric Blyth and Ruth Landau. Editor and Contributor Biographies. Subject Index. Name Index.
