สำนักราชบัณฑิตยสภา

«“√ “√ √“™∫— ≥±‘µ¬ ∂“π ªï ∑’Ë Ú˜ ©∫— ∫∑’Ë Û °.§.-°.¬. ÚıÙı ‘ «≈’ »‘ √‘ ‰≈ ¯ÙÒ Abstract Ethical Perspectives on Sperm and Egg Donation for Fertilization Sivalee Sirilai Associate Member, the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, the Royal Institute, Thailand In the late 20th Century, the advancement of science and technology brought about great benefits for human life and in the provision of health care, especially in the area of reproductive technologies. Married couples who cannot have their own children by the natural way have achieved their needs by artifical insemination. The well-known techniques often used for overcoming infer- tility in married couples are as follows: in vitro fertilization, (literally, “fertilization in glass” or IVF) and gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT). By these techniques, a married infertile couple uses an egg taken from the wife and sperm taken from the husband; all zygotes produced are inserted into the womb of the wife (IVF), or sperm and egg are inserted into a fallopian tube (GIFT). In the present society, conflicts and controversies arise when the egg or the sperm may be derived from donors or vendors rather than the husband and wife. Further significant ethical issues which are difficult and complicated arise, such as: What is the aim of creating new life forms? How do we value human life? How does artificial insemination affect the family and the child? Who should be the one responsible for a baby who is born deformed and unwanted? These ethical issues should be viewed philosophically, ethically, legally and religiously in the context of Thai society. Key words : ethical perspectives, sperm and egg donation, fertilization