In the news:

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine:
Gays and unmarried persons should not be denied access to fertility services
 

An important report has just been released by the leading authority in reproductive medicine in the USA, The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). In the November issue of "Fertility and Sterility", the Ethics Committee of the ASRM published a report titled: "Access to fertility treatment by gays, lesbians,and unmarried persons". The report was written in response to the "notable trend for lesbian women and couples and, increasingly, for single and coupled gay men, to have offspring, most commonly through some form of assisted reproduction."

In the report the committee categorically states that the denial of assisted reproductive services on the basis of sexual orientation or marital status cannot be ethically justified! Echoing a growing body of research they state that "there is no persuasive evidence that children raised by single parents or by gays and lesbians are harmed or disadvantaged by that fact alone". The committee found that "neither concerns about the welfare of children nor the need to promote marriage justify denying reproductive services to unmarried persons, including those who are gay or lesbian."

Contrary to the practice of many fertility programs, the report goes beyond just a recommendation to state that there is an ethical obligation for licensed professionals "to treat all requests for assisted reproduction equally without regard to marital status or sexual orientation."

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