Revolutionizing Reproduction: The Ethical Landscape of In Vitro Gametogenesis
Revolutionizing Reproduction: The Ethical Landscape of In Vitro Gametogenesis
Edited by Christopher Gyngell, Julian Savulescu and Tsutomu Sawai
10 April 2026, Oxford University Press (DOI 10.1093/9780197810415.001.0001)
This volume explores the rapidly advancing field of in vitro gametogenesis (IVG)—the generation of sperm and eggs from somatic or stem cells in the laboratory—and its profound implications for science, ethics, and society. While IVG holds transformative potential for treating infertility, enabling same-sex reproduction, and expanding reproductive options, it also presents significant ethical, legal, and social challenges that demand urgent attention.
Bringing together leading experts from scientific, philosophical, legal, and sociological backgrounds, this collection grounds the ethical debate in the latest scientific developments. Chapters analyse the technical foundations of IVG, its potential to overcome evolutionary constraints on human reproduction, and the complex ethical questions surrounding its applications. These include enhancing reproductive autonomy, facilitating same-sex and solo reproduction, the possibility of multiplex parenting involving more than two genetic progenitors, and the implications for embryo selection, including concerns about eugenics and iterative selection processes. The book critically examines core concepts such as reproductive liberty, the moral status of embryos, the definition of parenthood and genetic relatedness, and the potential commodification of human life. It also considers public attitudes, the influence of social norms, and the need for robust governance frameworks to guide the responsible development and implementation of IVG.
Link to publisher site: https://academic.oup.com/book/62605
DOI 10.1093/9780197810415.001.0001
Online ISBN 9780197810415
Print ISBN 9780197810378
Published by Oxford University Press
Published online 10 April 2026 | Available in print 9 June 2026
