BIOETHICAL PROBLEMS OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

The emergency epidemiological situation caused by the COIVID-19 pandemic provoked massive epidemiological events and forced an unprecedented scale of action, which also affected assisted reproductive technologies. Due to strict quarantine measures and border closures, babies born by surrogate mothers for foreign citizens could not be given to biological parents for several months, which caused a whole range of ethical problems. The work of IVF centers was also suspended, which caused serious problems for patients of older reproductive age, patients with low ovarian reserve, and free IVF programs were stopped. The situation with the pandemic highlighted the imperfection of the legislation and showed its inconsistency with ethical principles in relation to patients.