Reproductive tourism in Europe: legal and ethical issues : the cases of Sweden and Greece

Abstract

Reproductive tourism refers to the travelling of citizens from their country of residence to another country in order to receive fertility treatment through assisted reproductive technology (ART)1. In Europe, the reasons why people seek reproductive treatments outside their national boundaries are diverse but mainly because regulations differ a lot among countries. The legislations concerning ART are usually based upon different ethical perceptions and convictions. Sweden is considered as a country with restricted legislation on ART and many Swedish citizens seek ART services abroad. On the other hand, Greece is not considered as a country with a restricted legal framework and it constitutes a destination for “reproductive tourists”. Although “reproductive tourism” could be considered as a safe solution for infertile individuals, the phenomenon is often presented as problematic because it is often associated with legal implications as well as health dangers for the parties involved. In the end of this thesis, possible solutions to these problematic effects will be addressed in the light of the fact that “reproductive tourism” is an expanding phenomenon.