Ethics at the Beginning of Life

Abstract

Ethical and political debates on conception and abortion are often hot and one-sided. In an attempt to present a balanced view, we will discuss the whole spectrum of issues, from normal conception on one side to surrogate motherhood on the other. The main ethical issues are female/male imbalance regarding the side effects of contraception, uncritical use of the “morning-after pill,” abortion on demand without accompanying counselling, preimplantation or prenatal screening for selection of fetus regarding gender, abortion for minor fetal abnormalities, artificial insemination for a healthy woman, anonymity in case of donation of sperm or egg cells, and financial compensation for surrogate motherhood.