Fertility Preservation for a Teenager with Differences (Disorders) of Sex Development: An Ethics Case Study
Campo-Engelstein, L.; Chen, D.; Baratz, A.B.; Johnson, E.K.; Finlayson, C.
Journal of Clinical Ethics 30(2): 143-153
2019
ISSN/ISBN: 1046-7890 PMID: 31188791 Document Number: 17899
Fertility preservation has become more common for various populations, including oncology patients, transgender individuals, and women who are concerned about age-related infertility. Little attention has been paid to fertility preservation for patients with differences/disorders of sex development (DSD). Our goal in this article is to address specific ethical considerations that are unique to this patient population. To this end, we present a hypothetical DSD case. We then explore ethical considerations related to patient's age, risk of cancer, concern about genetic transmission of a DSD condition to children, co-occurring gender dysphoria, and access to experimental fertility preservation procedures. Given the limitations of current technologies, we recommend offering fertility preservation to individuals living with DSD using an informed decision-making approach that instills realistic expectations and minimizes the potential for false hope. Finally, we conclude with practical recommendations for this case based on the ethical considerations.
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