Legal & Ethical Dilemmas in Perinatal Mental Health: Assisted Reproductive Technology

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is on the rise as fertility and access to abortion care are on the decline. Individuals who experience reproductive challenges face a complex and often lengthy journey in the maze of medical and legal considerations as they contemplate their reproductive choices. This leads to a prolonged and intensified perinatal period and stretches the mental health challenges that go along with it. Some of the choices come with personal and social-ethical considerations that are unique to the use of ART. This two-day continuing education virtual conference, held from 10 AM to 2 PM PST each day, will offer a deep dive into the legal and ethical dilemmas related to assisted reproductive technology that providers of perinatal mental health care may face. The field of perinatal mental health, as it intersects with the use of assisted reproductive technology, presents new and evolving legal and ethical dilemmas that we will explore at this year’s conference. Through a trauma-informed lens, we will listen to legal, medical, and clinical voices, along with stories of lived experiences, to help us better appreciate these complex and ever-evolving challenges. Learning Objectives: At the end of this conference, attendees will be able to… - Discuss how historical medical trauma, especially in obstetrics, has shaped the current disparities in the use of Assisted reproductive technology amongst African Americans. - Describe the various forms of assisted reproductive technology and how they impact perinatal mental health. - Describe specific challenges faced by Trans/Queer birthing and non-birthing people using assisted reproductive technology. - Explain the increasingly intricate complexities of ‘disclosure’ to donor-conceived children and provide a framework for doing so. - Identify the legal and ethical issues as it pertains to working via telehealth. - Demonstrate proper clinical documentation.