Making Babies

Infertility inflames passions. On all sides, there is anger and despair. There are those who believe that IVF, donor insemination, egg donation and surrogacy are all evil, meddling with the natural order. There are others - mostly the infertile themselves - who see treatment as a right. They demand that it be made readily available and free. In an area fuelled more by emotion and personal experience than reason and expertise, this slim book is welcome for being solid and sensible. Here are some of the questions it poses: on what grounds might a couple be refused assisted conception? At what stage does an embryo become morally significant? Why do homosexuals want children? Are all methods of fertility treatment legitimate? Where will it end? The book is not an argument, but an exposition of what should be argued about. It sets out the limits of the debate, and carefully considers the contributions from all sides. But Warnock, an acclaimed philosopher and Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Committee, does have some forceful statements to make. 'Is there any reason, in principle, why human cloning should not be carried out?' she asks, and finds none. To this controversial statement she adds others: that donors should be identified, and that gay couples and those who have deliberately delayed having children due to their career should be given access to fertility treatment, although not necessarily on the NHS. This powerful book, just over 100 pages, is a paradigm of persuasive argument. Everyone who has any interest in the infertility debate should read it. Review by Dea Birkett (Kirkus UK)