Reproductive Bioethics: A Local and National Perspective | HMC Ethics Forum

This presentation is an overview of timeless and emerging topics in reproductive bioethics, with a focus on topics in education and on recent challenges to patient autonomy and practice.

Objectives:

1. Define reproductive bioethics;

2. Describe unique ethical challenges in teaching and practice;

3. Review recent local and national bioethics cases.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Ryan joined the faculty of the University of Washington School of Medicine as Professor and Division Chief of REI in October 2020 and also has privileges at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and the Puget Sound VA. Under her leadership, the Division was recently granted initial ACGME accreditation for a fellowship starting 8/1/23.

Dr. Ginny Ryan received her BS with Distinction in Biology and Society from Cornell University in 1995 and her MD from Washington University School of Medicine in 1999. At the University of Iowa, she completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2003 and subspecialty fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) in 2006 and stayed on as a faculty member at that institution from 2006-2020. As an Associate, Dr. Ryan pursued and completed a MA in Bioethics with a focus on Reproductive Bioethics through the Medical College of Wisconsin. As an Assistant Professor, Dr. Ryan was named a Women’s Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Scholar (2010-15). She received pilot research funding during this time from the University of Iowa and ASRM and translated that work into a funded IIR (VA HSR&D) research grant to study the impact of sexual assault and combat-related trauma on fertility and other reproductive health outcomes in female and male Veterans (2015-2020). Through this IIR grant, Dr. Ryan established a REI clinic at the Iowa City VA Hospital and was invited to act as Special Consultant in Reproductive Health services to the VA Central Office. Dr. Ryan is also an ad hoc reviewer for numerous journals and serves on the editorial board for F&S Reports and Fertility and Sterility.