Assisted reproductive technologies: Autonomy or subjugation? A case study from India

This article is based on the findings of a study conducted by Sama-Resource Group for Women and Health to understand the implications of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) on the lives of women in the Indian context; to gauge the responses of the various social movements in the country on issues being raised by ARTs and to examine the state of regulation of ARTs in India.The article concludes that ARTs reinforce traditional patriarchal norms rather than challenge or subvert them. We suggest that the application of these technologies has in fact furthered the subjugation of women by firmly casting them in the role of ‘child bearers’. Our review of the national regulatory guidelines identifies the gaps in the regulation of ART clinics and exposes the limited understanding of the authorities with regard to the social and ethical implications of these technologies for individual women and Indian society at large.