Should the state fund assisted reproductive technologies for HIV-discordant couples in South Africa who want to have children?

Abstract

Assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) can provide a way for HIV-serodiscordant couples to safely fall pregnant. However, their high cost raises concerns about distributive justice, especially now as we are laying the foundation for a national health insurance. Considering that the right to access reproductive healthcare services is specifically mentioned in the South African Constitution, a discussion surrounding ARTs and their funding is warranted. This article argues that the state does not have a moral duty to provide ARTs for serodiscordant couples in the current socioeconomic environment that SA finds itself.