Reproductive Justice and Reproductive Rights in a Technological Age: How Making Babies without Sex is Changing the World

Abstract

The technology of pregnancy creation has come a long way since the birth of Louise Brown, the world’s first so-called test-tube baby, in 1978. The options for assisted reproduction have expanded from simply in-vitro fertilization and artificial insemination to pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, cytoplasmic transfer, gestational surrogacy and beyond. While the business of making babies booms, unsurprisingly, the law continues to lag behind the pace of technology. This talk explores the many ethical and legal questions raised by markets for babies including how the frame of reproductive justice can help us think about how to regulate in this brave new world. Presented by Kimberly Mutcherson, J.D. Vice Dean and Professor of Law Rutgers Law School