Creating Humans: Ethical Questions, Part 3

~The next topic in this course is The Science of Reproduction.  The first (and most obvious point) made by the lecture is that, in a global sense, infertility is not really a problem.  The population of the Earth continues to rise at an astounding pace; despite an overall decline in the actual rate of growth, it's still growth.  While fertility rates have declined in some areas, for our species, infertility is not likely to wipe us out any time soon.  We're hardly in a Children of Men situation yet.

However, declining birthrates are a problem in some societies.  For example, the population of Japan is falling and, barring a major change in society, will continue to do so.  This has led to some unusual attempts at solutions; for example, Japan's largest business association urged its members to allow workers to go home earlier in order to "have more babies".  In Russia, loosened immigration restrictions in the post-Soviet era, combined with societal and economic problems, has led to a mass exodus of young Russians and a corresponding decrease in population (the nation is expected to lose 30 million people over the next few decades).  In response, Russia has severely restricted abortions, although population experts expect this to have little impact on the decline of Russia's population.  Or consider Israel, with the largest number of fertility clinics per-capita in the world and extensive socialized medical benefits for reproductive assistance...and an intense need to increase its Jewish population.  This results in a great deal of social pressure to use these technologies, especially among Orthodox communities in which female infertility is grounds for divorce.


The upshot of all this is that in the developed world, populations are likely to level out and, in some areas, fall. In the developing world, populations will continue to rise, although not as fast as in the past century due to improvements in hygiene and education, as well as from infections such as HIV.  So if the global population is still rising fast, should people with fertility problems have the right to use assistive technology?  I imagine the response of many people would be, "Can't they adopt?"  Yet what right does society, and by extension the law, have to restrict this fundamental human drive?  After all, from a biological perspective, the entire purpose of life is to reproduce itself (not to enjoy itself, although luckily for humans evolution has cleverly combined enjoyment with reproduction).

But the increasing availability of assistive technology raises another, more subtle problem.  In nations with falling birthrates and declining populations, or in societies/cultures/ethnicities within those nations with similar problems, do these technologies pressure otherwise-infertile women to use them?  In other words, if a woman is unable to naturally become pregnant, will she feel a social obligation to "go the extra mile" and partake of these technologies?  Does reproduction become a social responsibility?  I don't think we're likely to end up in some Orwellian nightmare where people are forced to reproduce; this is a question of societal pressures and overall direction.

Consider this article, which describes the intense guilt felt by childless women in Japan. While this is in some ways a product of Japanese culture, I can see the same thing happening in other countries as well.  For example, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, white Americans will no longer be the majority in the U.S. within a few decades, and I'm sure we will see less tolerant people (i.e. racists) bemoaning this fact and pressuring white couples to have more children.  Consider the creepy Quiverfull movement, where Christian fundamentalist couples seek to have as many children as possible.  Although often couched in terms of faith, there is a not-so-subtle subtext of "race suicide" they're trying to prevent.

Disturbing.

I think that it's important that as reproductive technologies become increasingly available, steps are taken to ensure that people do not feel pressured to use them.  Perhaps some pressure is inevitable, if only because there may be choices where before, no choice existed for an infertile couple.  Still, I'd hate to see the kind of social pressure that exists in Japan spread to other countries with declining birthrates.  I think it's fine that health insurance programs now cover many reproductive procedures, but it would be interesting to see a study of whether or not women (and men) feel pressured to make use of them.  

Reproduction is an intensely personal and private act, and these technologies force it partially into the public sphere.  So what do you think about all this?  Do you see societal pressure to use this technology as a problem, or a future problem?  Why or why not?  Do you think that we as a society need to do anything about it?  I don't really see America banning advertisements for these services; instead, it's up to you and other people, as individuals, to keep in mind that the fertility problems of other people are none of your business.