Breaking Bioethics By Lara Canham And Danny Nolan.

Breaking Breaking BioethicsBioethics

By Lara CanhamBy Lara Canham

AndAnd

Danny NolanDanny Nolan

Old AgeOld Ageand and

PregnancyPregnancy

Adriana IliescuAdriana Iliescu

A 66 year-old Romanian woman recently gave A 66 year-old Romanian woman recently gave birth to a baby girl, becoming the oldest motherbirth to a baby girl, becoming the oldest mother

Doctors used in vitro fertilization, and the sperm Doctors used in vitro fertilization, and the sperm and egg from other (younger) people to get her and egg from other (younger) people to get her pregnantpregnant

To save her girl, doctors preformed a cesarean To save her girl, doctors preformed a cesarean section 33 weeks into the pregnancy and section 33 weeks into the pregnancy and removed a 3.1 pound premature baby.removed a 3.1 pound premature baby.

It was her third attempt at carrying a pregnancy It was her third attempt at carrying a pregnancy to full term after starting fertility treatment in to full term after starting fertility treatment in 19951995

There is no age limit in place in There is no age limit in place in Romania for fertility treatment.Romania for fertility treatment.

The European Union, which Romania The European Union, which Romania hopes to join, usually restricts the hopes to join, usually restricts the treatment, but the actual age limit treatment, but the actual age limit varies from country to countryvaries from country to country

How Old is too Old to Give How Old is too Old to Give Birth?Birth?

Iliescu was receiving fertility treatment Iliescu was receiving fertility treatment because she was no longer able to produce because she was no longer able to produce eggs…because of her ageeggs…because of her age

Any woman over the age of 40 who gets Any woman over the age of 40 who gets pregnant constitutes a high risk pregnancy pregnant constitutes a high risk pregnancy because the health risks, to both the because the health risks, to both the mother and the baby, skyrocket at that agemother and the baby, skyrocket at that age

Iliescu lost one fetus early in the Iliescu lost one fetus early in the pregnancy, and “gave birth” to one still pregnancy, and “gave birth” to one still born baby. And even though the surviving born baby. And even though the surviving girl was only a few weeks premature, she girl was only a few weeks premature, she was “born” at a dangerous 3.1 poundswas “born” at a dangerous 3.1 pounds

But too old to be a Parent?But too old to be a Parent?

When Iliescu’s girl becomes a teenager, When Iliescu’s girl becomes a teenager, Iliescu will be 80Iliescu will be 80

There is doubt about whether the elder parent There is doubt about whether the elder parent will be alive long enough to see their child will be alive long enough to see their child graduate from high school, let alone collegegraduate from high school, let alone college

Some say that no one complains when old Some say that no one complains when old men, such as Tony Randall and Strom men, such as Tony Randall and Strom Thurmond, become fathers. Note, however, Thurmond, become fathers. Note, however, that both of these men have died since that both of these men have died since having their children.having their children.

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CloningCloning

What is cloning?What is cloning?

Cloning is the process of making Cloning is the process of making genetically identical organisms from genetically identical organisms from a single parenta single parent

Developments in genetic Developments in genetic engineering, and especially cloning, engineering, and especially cloning, show some promising ideas, but also show some promising ideas, but also raise some concerns raise some concerns

Pro-CloningPro-Cloning

Cloning stem cells would help Cloning stem cells would help provide the treatment to some provide the treatment to some diseases. Doctors may be able to diseases. Doctors may be able to replace tissues that have been lost to replace tissues that have been lost to the disease or, in the case of the disease or, in the case of chemotherapy, the treatment with chemotherapy, the treatment with the cloned stem cellsthe cloned stem cells

Cloning individual organ tissue can Cloning individual organ tissue can lead to increased organs available for lead to increased organs available for transplantation transplantation

Cloning could also help provide Cloning could also help provide scientists with a better scientists with a better understanding of some genetic understanding of some genetic diseasesdiseases

The cloning of genetically modified The cloning of genetically modified farm animals can have agricultural farm animals can have agricultural and industrial advantagesand industrial advantages– For instance, genetically modified cows For instance, genetically modified cows

can produce milk with certain drugs can produce milk with certain drugs inside for mass productioninside for mass production

Anti-CloningAnti-Cloning

Cloning, especially cloning humans, Cloning, especially cloning humans, would eventually lead to the loss of would eventually lead to the loss of genetic diversity, which has helped us genetic diversity, which has helped us survivesurvive

If all people have the same type of genes, If all people have the same type of genes, then the human race, as a whole, is left then the human race, as a whole, is left very weak against certain diseasesvery weak against certain diseases

Many people believe that cloning is, Many people believe that cloning is, effectively, playing God.effectively, playing God.

Cloning would lead to a different type Cloning would lead to a different type of human, a type of human that is of human, a type of human that is property of the original host, property of the original host, property which can be sold to anyone property which can be sold to anyone else. Selling human life, any human else. Selling human life, any human life is inhumane and unethicallife is inhumane and unethical

It could conceivably undermine the It could conceivably undermine the basic elements of a loving family basic elements of a loving family because it changes the way in which because it changes the way in which a child is createda child is created

Face Face TransplantsTransplants

Face transplants can help people who Face transplants can help people who have suffered severe burn damage or have suffered severe burn damage or the effects of oral cancer recover the effects of oral cancer recover some semblance of a normal facesome semblance of a normal face

The face would be removed from The face would be removed from someone who has recently diedsomeone who has recently died

Skin is the hardest organ to transplantSkin is the hardest organ to transplant

Basic InformationBasic Information

ProblemsProblems

The cocktail of drugs that has been The cocktail of drugs that has been developed to keep the body from rejecting developed to keep the body from rejecting the face could easily lead to cancer or the face could easily lead to cancer or kidney failure.kidney failure.

Additionally, the face could still reject Additionally, the face could still reject leaving the recipient with no options and leaving the recipient with no options and death very likely to occurdeath very likely to occur

The problem also arises that the person The problem also arises that the person with this newly transplanted face could with this newly transplanted face could remind or haunt the family and friends of remind or haunt the family and friends of the recently deceased donorthe recently deceased donor