[Oocytes cryopreservation: in which circumstances? Who should pay? Approaches amongst attending IVF physicians and researchers in the field of bioethics and health regulation].

BACKGROUND

In recent years there have been significant advances in the process of oocyte cryopreservation. Advanced techniques including vitrification have seen increasing success rates of fertilization. These successes warrant renewed public consideration and debate on several issues: In what circumstances? Who should pay? How should the process be regulated?

STUDY QUESTION

Our goals were to examine the approach to oocyte cryopreservation amongst attending in-vitro fertilization (IVF) physicians and amongst researchers in the field of bioethics and health regulation.

METHODS

Questionnaires regarding egg freezing were given to physicians heading IVF departments in Israel, and to bioethics researchers / health care administrators.

RESULTS

Among the two groups questioned, there is strong support (80%) for the freezing of oocytes for personal circumstances, which may not be purely medical. Despite this support, there appears to be a difference in reasoning for this support. While most physicians see no reason to inhibit using the technology, bioethicists attend to the conflict between personal liberties and potentially troubling ethical consequences on society when utilizing these technologies. There is an additional discrepancy between the groups concerning regulation. Physicians prefer regulation by administrative means, while bioethicists would prefer regulation by Laws.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite widespread support of oocyte cryopreservation for personal reasons among the two groups questioned, their views arise from different rationales. implementation of egg freezing technologies requires careful interdisciplinary discussion in order to consider the various medical, ethical, and sociological factors that these technologies will incur.