Problems with legislating against ‘reproductive tourism’

March 26, 2010

Earlier this month, the Turkish Ministry of Health revised its regulations pertaining to assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs). The new regulatory structure considerably extends the specifications and requirements for the practice of ARTs in Turkey, and introduces a range of additional prohibitions. Two new developments are particularly striking. The first stipulates that all women in their first cycle of IVF (in vitro fertilisation) can only have a single embryo transferred, with a maximum of two embryos for women over 35 on their second and women under 35 on their third or subsequent IVF cycles. The second bans partaking in or facilitating travel in pursuit of donor gametes. (BioNews)