Transplanting the Womb: A Catholic Bioethical Analysis
Transplanting the Womb: A Catholic Bioethical Analysis
Transplanting the Womb: A Catholic Bioethical Analysis
written by Andrew S. Kubick
forward by Rev. Fr. Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco, OP
Emergent technologies, especially in the realm of medicine, require new ethical examinations to determine their moral implications. Too often, the march of technological progress well outpaces these examinations, leaving doctors, researchers, and the general public without proper guidance regarding the morality of novel procedures. When this occurs, it is the duty of bioethicists to evalate these emergent technologies and procedures to determine what is morally permissible.
Transplanting the Womb: A Catholic Bioethical Analysis, by Andrew S. Kubick, PhD, gives an extensive account of the ethical ramifications of uterus transplantation (UTx). Adapted from Kubick’s doctoral dissertation, it examines the previous decade of advancements in this emerging field of medicine, evaluating both the progress made and the ethical concerns surrounding the process. The analysis is necessary, as no previous publications have provided an exploration of such depth. This book weighs both secular and Catholic ethical traditions, providing a detailed account of the development of the process, the literature published on the matter, and the process’s place in the context of sound Christian anthropology.
Academically rigorous and faithful to the Catholic intellectual tradition, Kubick’s work will leave readers with both a greater understanding of uterus transplantation and a deeper appreciation of Catholic moral philosophy.
ISBN 9-780935-372779
6" x 9"
260 + xviii pages
“Dr. Kubick has a rare combination of nuance and steadfastness to fact. . . . By the end, his audience will know more about uterine transplants than many physicians, especially about the steps and missteps of investigations along the way. . . . He holds firm when presenting facts about medical risks and immoral acts. The present work presents a nuanced, compassionate perspective on a sensitive topic in a changing landscape.”
—Cara Buskmiller, MD, MS
Fetal Surgery Fellow,
Texas Children’s Hospital
“This is the most thorough and medically informative treatment of an issue in reproductive ethics that I’ve seen—it will be an indispensable source for study and a reliable reference for Catholic bioethicists. Andrew Kubick’s excellent work clearly explains the relevant teachings of the Church, the arguments and positions of Catholic moral theologians, and even those of secular philosophers, on the ethics of uterus transplants. It also includes succinct but surprisingly thorough treatments of IVF, IUI, LTOT, GIFT, HET, surrogacy, and embryo rescue and an up-to-date explanation of the general science behind and basic methods for all of these procedures.”
—Patrick Lee, PhD
Director of the Center for Bioethics,
Franciscan University of Steubenville
“Kubick wrestles with the profound moral implications of uterus transplantation and provides a very useful summary of current research in this area. . . . It is a relief to see a serious-minded treatment of a topic which encompasses the meaning of maternity and pregnancy and ideas of gift.”
—Anthony McCarthy, PhD
Director of the Bios Centre, London
Author of Ethical Sex: Sexual Choices and Their Nature and Meaning