Reproductive Futures: The Promises and Pitfalls of In-Vitro Gametogenesis

In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) as assisted reproductive technology (ART) has been in vogue for quite a few decades now. While IVF has been hailed as a significant scientific advancement, with many advantages, here are some limitations which bear keeping in mind in discussions about the possibilities and extent of its use in the present and the future.. It is in this context that we discuss in-vitro gametogenesis (IVG) – a new experimental reproductive technology that is currently being developed and refined, and thus debated on a number of different fronts.

The concerns about reproductive autonomy, ethics, and equity ought to be at the forefront of any discussion of advanced and experimental reproductive technologies, including IVG. Although IVG is not currently under research in India, this technology is gaining more attention in the global scientific community. Thus, it becomes imperative to engage with it critically.

Researchers claim that IVG would reduce the risks of IVF procedures by creating sperm and oocytes (eggs) directly in a lab, unlike in the case of the IVF, which requires the retrieval of eggs from ovaries, and...