What are the legal and policy restrictions on IVF in the United States?
In vitro fertilization, IVF) is an assisted reproductive technology that helps couples who cannot conceive naturally realize their dreams of fertility by cultivating fertilized eggs in the laboratory and then implanting healthy embryos into the mother's uterus. In the United States, IVF is subject to some legal restrictions. This article will elaborate on the legal and policy restrictions on IVF in the United States from four aspects.
1. National supervision of laws on IVF
Test tube baby is a field involving medical technology and ethics, so it is subject to strict national supervision in the United States. Food and Drug Administration, FDA) reviews and supervises the technology and equipment related to IVF. Any medical device or drug related to IVF needs FDA certification before it can be sold and used in the US market.
In addition, the United States has also formulated a series of laws and guidelines to regulate the clinical practice and medical behavior of IVF. For example, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, ASRM) has developed a series of clinical practice guidelines to ensure the safety and legality of IVF.
To ensure the quality and safety of IVF, IVF clinics need to be licensed or certified by the states. The licensing requirements for IVF vary from state to state, but usually include requirements for equipment and facilities, qualification requirements for doctors and technicians, and specifications for laboratory operations.
2. Restrictions on age, marital status and gender
The laws and policies of the United States on IVF have some restrictions on the age, marital status and gender of potential IVF parents. Age limit is one of the concerns. Some states require that women must be at least 21 years old to accept IVF, while men must also reach a certain age.
In addition, marital status is also a limiting factor. Some states stipulate that only married couples can have IVF, while unmarried or same-sex partners are not allowed to try IVF.
In addition, the laws and policies of the United States on IVF also have certain restrictions on selecting the sex of embryos. Most states stipulate that IVF can only be used for therapeutic purposes, and it is not allowed to select the sex of embryos for non-medical reasons.
3. Number of embryos transferred and embryo freezing restrictions
In order to avoid the risk of multiple pregnancies and pregnancy complications, the number of embryo transfers is regulated by American law. According to the guidelines of ASRM, for young women, only up to two embryos are usually implanted into the uterus to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy. However, for older women or other special circumstances, multiple embryos may be considered.
In addition, the United States also limits the time and quantity of embryo freezing. Although frozen embryos have improved the success rate of IVF to a certain extent, there are differences in the number and preservation time of frozen embryos among states. Some states stipulate that frozen embryos can only be kept for a certain period of time, such as five years, and they need to be destroyed if they exceed the deadline.
4. Restrictions on specific groups
The laws and policies of the United States on IVF also have restrictions on specific groups. For example, the United States prohibits the use of IVF technology (Surrogacy). It refers to the implantation of an embryo into another woman's body, and then she will become pregnant and give birth to a child. Although some states allow it, others strictly restrict or completely prohibit it.
In addition, the United States also has some religious and ethical constraints, such as restrictions on embryo donation and embryo selection. Different religious beliefs and ethics may have reservations about some aspects of IVF, which will also have a certain impact on legal policies.
Summary
The laws and policies of test tube babies in the United States have certain restrictions on national supervision, age, marital status and sex, the number and freezing of embryo transfers, and specific populations. These restrictions are intended to ensure the safety, legal and ethical viability of IVF. In formulating and implementing these laws and policies, we need to balance the development of medical technology with the protection of individual rights and interests, as well as respect for social ethics and moral concepts.
