Uterus transplant and controversial assisted reproductive technologies: can the right to parenthood clash with ethical precepts?

Fast-developing assisted reproductive techniques based on innova- tive technologies have given rise to incredibly consequential ethical challenges of unprecedented scope. The development of innovative assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) has steadily risen since the late 1970s. Until just over 20 years ago, those who sought to become parents had no way to overcome their infertility or sterility issues, but can now achieve parenthood and have children with at least a partial genetic and/or biological relationship. Treatments aimed at ovarian stimulation, artificial insemination, either by using the sperm of a husband or of an unrelated donor, in vitro fertilization with embryo transfer, gamete and zygote intrafallopian transfers, and intracyto- plasmic sperm injection are among the options currently available. A major ethical quandary linked to ARTs is the one arising from unused embryos, i.e. supernumerary embryos which were not implanted. Still, aside from ethical concerns stemming from embryo rights, in such a fast-evolving field, a solid ethical foundation is absolutely necessary to provide guidance for regulations and legislation. This is especially true considering how assisted reproductive practices such as surrogacy and uterus transplant (UTx) are even more controversial, hence the need to rely on a broadly acknowledged and shared set of principles for their regulation, by virtue of their unique distinctive traits which challenge our ethical and moral compass at its very core.