¶ … in vitro fertilization allows a couple or an individual to bring life into the world. From an ethical and moral standpoint, this suggests that the person bringing life into the world should be capable of raising and caring for the child in a fair and reasonable fashion.

There are many reasons why people with disabilities should be allowed to undergo IVF. How does one however, determine who should not get access?

IVF should not be offered to any couple of individual that is not capable of providing physical, spiritual and emotional support to a new life. People that would not qualify for IVF would be individuals that suffer a severe impairment that limits their ability to physically care for a child (with or without accommodation) including feeding, changing and other basic life skills.

Another situation where an individual should not be given access to IVF is a person/couple that does not have the mental skills or cognitive ability to understand how to raise a child. This might be the case for an idnivdual that suffers from severe mental retardation or some type of brain injury that prohibits the person from making common sense and logical decisions. Why should this person/couple not be allowed IVF? If they don't have the mental capability to care for themselves or make good decisions, they will not be able to make good decisions and care for a baby. Caring for a baby requires that a person have at least a relatively normal cognitive ability and sense of what is safe vs. not safe, good vs. bad etc. etc.

Being disabled in and of itself should never automatically disqualify someone for a procedure like IVF. However it is important that the individual at least be able to make accommodations so that they can provide for a child's basic needs, and they must have the mental capacity to understand the developing needs of a child. Otherwise they put the child at risk.