Determining the Legal Status of the Embryo

Abstract

The article is devoted to the definition of the status of human embryo, namely the question of granting him the status of an object or a subject of civil legal relations. The author submits a review of national and international legal acts regulating these issues.The article regards the question of determining the beginning of human life as the beginning of his legal protection by the state. In the study the importance is placed on the legal status of the human embryo in the context of specific legal relationships arising from the application of the assisted reproductive technologies programs. According to the author, the owners of the embryo must be genetic parents, even in the case of transferring the embryo into the body of a surrogate mother. The embryo is also treated as an object even being created in the laboratory surroundings. The author concludes that only the recognition of the embryos in the status of an object will promote the settlement of their legal status in accordance with the Civil Code of Ukraine. The author suggests the methods of improving the legal regulation of abortion and extracorporeal fertilization.