Beginning of Life Beginning of Life

Even as assisted reproductive technology (ART) becomes increasingly widespread (+19.7% between 2015 and 2022 in Belgium alone), more and more couples are turning to commercial tests to select the best embryos or gametes. In the United Kingdom, tests carried out on embryos (pre-implantation diagnosis, PGD) during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) are legally limited to serious health problems (HFE Act), such as Huntington's disease, sickle cell anaemia or cystic fibrosis. However, some couples have circumvented this restriction by sending the genetic data of their embryos to the American company Herasight to help them choose embryos that will produce healthier and more intelligent children. 

In a report presented on July 14, 2025, to the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Special reporter on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem, strongly condemned the practice of surrogacy, which she advocates for international abolition. The report argues that surrogacy “is characterized by exploitation...