The medical model of disability which focuses on a person's physical or mental limitations is widely endorsed by biomedical perspectives, with the potential to influence health determinations based on biomedical ‘ideals.’ The medical model can be manifested in an array of assisted reproductive techniques, including gamete donation selection. The screening and selection of gamete donors have become common practice to ensure the health of future offspring. However, the lack of U.S. regulation governing assisted reproduction allows comprehensive clinical guidelines established by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) to guide gamete donor eligibility. The ASRM guidelines can perpetuate the medicalization of disability by placing significant emphasis on selecting donors who are ‘healthy’ and encouraging the exclusion of individuals with non-typical conditions and characteristics. This rhetoric promotes biomedical genetic ‘ideals’ of health and may reinforce the idea that any disability or genetic condition against the biomedical ‘norm’ is undesirable. This presentation considers the reconceptualization of disability in gamete donation screening (sperm and oocyte donors) using a disability justice framework. Embracing a more inclusive approach to assisted reproduction that values the diversity of potential donors and recognizes the broader context of disability is essential for creating a society that values all individuals, regardless of their genetic makeup.
Author: Hannah Carpenter, The University of Texas Medical Branch
