Blurring the line between life and death: a review of the psychological and ethical concerns related to posthumous-assisted reproduction

Abstract

Posthumous-assisted reproduction (PAR), though viewed unfavourably by some, is desirable to many individuals whose partners die prior to the completion of family building. PAR is technically feasible for males and females both pre- and post-mortem and these procedures have previously been completed on numerous occasions. However, such treatment is associated with three primary ethical concerns: autonomy; beneficence; and justice for the living, the deceased, and the soon-to-be conceived. Further, there are many psychological risks of PAR which may affect all involved parties. As such, early psychological counselling of patients and surviving family members is warranted.

Chinese abstract

死后辅助生殖（PAR）, 虽然有些人认为不合时宜, 但是对于许多伴侣在完成家庭建设之前就去世的人而言是可取的。死后辅助生殖的技术对男、女在死前和死后都是可行的, 这些程序在许多情况下可先行完成。然而, 这样的治疗有三个主要的伦理问题: 自治、善行和对死者与即将怀孕的人来说正义的生活。此外, 对所有参与死后辅助生殖的成员来说还存在很多心理的风险, 因此, 对患者和幸存家庭成员早期的心理辅导是十分必要的。

Keywords:

• Counselling
• ethics
• posthumous reproduction
• psychological

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.