Health, governance and accountability in embryo research: couples’ decisions about the fate of embryos

Reference: PTDC/CS-ECS/110220/2009

Research coordinator: Susana Silva (ISPUP/CICS-UM)

Proposing Institution: Instituto Superior de Saúde Pública do Porto

Team members: Helena Machado (CICS/UM), Teresa Rodrigues (ISPUP)

Funding Institution: FCT

Objectives: The central question guiding this study is the following: what is the repertoire of perceptions, concerns, and understandings actualised by the IVF couples in the decision process regarding the fate of embryos? The specific objectives of this project are the following: 1. To indicate broad patterns of the IVF couples social, demographic, psychological, medical and treatment characteristics. 2. To identify the views, values, and knowledge actualised by the IVF couples to understand the moral status of human embryos in order to decide on their fate. 3. To analyse how the processes of evaluation and classification of the embryos’ quality and viability led by experts impact on those couples’ decision regarding the fate of embryos. 4. To explore the IVF couples’ discourses on the expectations, uncertainties, and responsibilities associated to reproductive technologies. 5. To study the repertoire of citizenship rights and obligations actualised by the IVF couples in their decisions regarding the fate of embryos. Drawing on hospital-based survey and in depth interviews with couples involved in IVF’s, this project will contribute to produce knowledge that can be mobilised in several debates, namely: juridical, legal and bioethical discussions around the research on human embryos, their cryopreservation and their donation; IVF’s safety management, efficiency, and quality; good practices procedures regarding the counselling on the couples’ decision processes regarding the fate of embryos.

Duration: 2011-2014