Social Issues and Medical Challenges in Optimising Access and Outcome of Assisted Reproductive Technology Procedures

Assisted Reproductive Technology techniques (ART) have been raising psychological controversies since the beginning, from contesting the procedure itself to challenging the various situations and ways in which ART could be performed. For many of those issues the verdict is mainly influenced by cultural, religious and political differences amongst countries. It is unlikely to reach a consensus on these matters in the near future. At the same time, there are several ethical challenges concerning the individual medical management of the very heterogeneous population of patients referred to in vitro fertilization (IVF)/ART which could be easier brought to a common point of view of the specialists involved in ART. Practically, about one in 5-6 child-seeking couples confronts primary or secondary fertility issues. Comparing the level of secondary infertility (frequently reproductive ageing and gynecological disorders related) in Romania (and Eastern European countries) versus high income countries we might associate the important difference observed with the socio-economic and medical access differences between those groups of countries. Our study analyzed the social issues regarding optimal access to ART and the medical and ethical challenges involved in providing optimal individualized ART treatments to infertile patients/couples.